Even though we live in an ever-evolving society, we still struggle with beauty and the different standards set for men and women. In the last few years, we have seen more and more body-positive influencers take centre stage as plus-size models made it to the covers of magazines and walked on runways.
While loving your body the way it is has become a recent topic of conversation in our society, many of us want to lose weight, have a fit, healthy body and push ourselves to be the best version of ourselves.
I have struggled with weight and body image issues for as long as I can remember. There was never a time in my life when I was “skinny” but in 2016, I let myself go to a dangerous extent. My lifestyle was unhealthy, my body was struggling with issues like PCOS and thyroid while also dealing with my emotional binge eating.
Image Credit: Snigdha Kacker
My family is very fitness-oriented (unlike me), and we have all had our weight-loss journeys. But, the one that motivated me the most was my father’s. He is a dedicated, disciplined and hard-working man who never stopped his fitness journey and has inspired me to get started on mine.
After years of slacking off, I restarted my weight-loss journey after the pandemic hit and since then I have lost over 23 kilos! That’s right! While diet control and exercise played a major role, here’s how my dad became the guiding light through it all:
Becoming My Alarm Clock
My dad goes on a morning walk every day without fail. Doesn’t matter if he slept late, was travelling or it was freezing outside, he will put on his workout gear (which I keep updating!) and go for a walk, sometimes twice a day! So, to help me get into a routine, he became my alarm clock. Every day, without fail, he would wake me up at 6:30 and push me to go on a walk or run.
Teaching Me The Importance Of Discipline
Image Credit: Snigdha Kacker
Since my brother and I were kids, our dad has always insisted on the importance of discipline and sticking to a schedule. He would always get dressed in proper clothes and shoes, even on weekends. While that might have changed since the pandemic, he made sure that nothing else did.
While I was working on losing weight, my biggest struggle was to make sure that I did not fall off the wagon. Dad made sure that he never wavered from his schedule, which in turn motivated me to stick to mine.
My Dietician, Cook & Motivator In One
When I first started this journey in April 2020, my dad purged the house of any unhealthy snacks and stocked it full of veggies, fruits, oats and anything else I needed to eat right. Not just that, he changed his lifestyle, gave up on parathas and sweets, ate boiled vegetables with me and became my support system.
I have been on this journey many times over in my life already, but every time the fear of failure made me quit. This time my dad made sure that I knew that I had the support to fail and get back up. Many of us need that at the start!
Finally, Just Being A Super Dad Who Always Stood By My Side
Image Credit: Snigdha Kacker
We all love our dads, they will always be the guiding light we need in our lives. My dad is the same. Every time I got lazy or irritated with the process, he motivated me. When I cheated on my diet, he scolded me and when I failed to see my achievements, he made sure to celebrate them.
To Wrap It Up
So, this Father’s Day, I decided to celebrate the selfless superhero that my dad is by giving him an amazing shaving kit and making him proud by achieving my goals. If you want to find a gift that shows your dad just how much you love him, just hop over to MensXP Shop because their Father’s Day sale has many curated products that I know he will actually use!
