One Thing I Have The Lockdown To Thank For, As Morbid As It May Sound
PCOD (Polycystic Ovarian Disease) is a horrendous disease that adversely affects a person’s uterus. I had a harrowing and complicated pregnancy owing to the same. I was almost 84 kgs post-delivery. I then took it on myself to lose weight and tone my body. I was on a lot of medicines, which only made it all worse for me.
I had started working out much before the lockdown happened back in 2020, but I used to focus extensively on strength training. It didn’t fully help me lose weight as I got all bulked-up and muscular - something I didn’t quite like. Cardio was never my thing, and I kept underestimating myself until the lockdown taught me otherwise! I never stopped working out, even though there were no gyms available in 2020.
I use water bottles filled with water and my son’s schoolbag with books inside to practice strength training- something I like. Surprisingly, I also started doing cardio, loads of it- right from burpees, mountain climbers, squats, goblet squats, glute bridge, slider curl, lunges, floor press, DB bent row, DB shrugs, DB over-press, DB lateral raises, DB bicep curl, DB overhead, to triceps extensions among others. I rebutted my own assumption of not being able to do cardio, and I couldn’t be happier!
What helped me fight my PCOD was a complete lifestyle alteration- right from having home-cooked meals to exercising regularly.
Also, I don’t believe in absurd diets to keep in shape. I walk about 8 kms every day apart from my morning meditation and evening exercises. My ten-year-old son also works out with me, and that’s one of our favourite rituals together.
Now, I understand that it’s not easy to make up one’s mind to work out regularly, but a to-do list made on a night before and listening to podcasts while walking gives me an affirmative mindset.
It might sound a bit morbid, but I am kind of grateful for the lockdown to have made me practice cardio - something I would have continued to dread otherwise.
Moreover, doing cardio exercises helps you in building stronger lungs - enough to survive the deadly virus!
Lastly, my weight-loss journey has been an upheaval, but I am glad to have achieved a toned body (62 Kgs) through perseverance.