One of the biggest reasons we start and stop a weight loss diet or a workout routine to lose weight is the lack of daily motivation required to pursue it. But 26-year-old Kishan Sharma tells us that he cracked the code to see his weight loss journey through till the end by spending big bucks on a one-year gym membership. It compelled me to stick to a routine everyday. If you pay for something in advance, you will definitely work for it (it's just human nature)! he confesses.

But the gym wasnt his first option. I started gaining weight at a very steady pace since college. I was a very big foodie, and would eat and drink anything and everything. But at the same time, I was also very active in sports, especially cricket, football and volleyball. My friends and family would often taunt me for gaining weight but I was unfazed by it. That is until I started working and all the physical activity and sports tournaments stopped, he says.

Now, I was just eating and eating very unhealthy food and going up weight classes and clothing sizes rapidly from XL to XXL. Reality finally hit me when even XXL-size shirts wouldnt fit me. I realised that I cant grown beyond this. This was my limit, now I had to find a way get back in shape by losing weight," he adds.

Thus to lose weight and reclaim my XL-size shirts, I decided to start running. And while running, daily,0 helped a little, the result wasnt satisfactory for me. So, I joined a gym for, as you now know, a whole year, and embarked on the below weight loss plan to not regret my decision, he informs.

I weighed around 97.4 kgs when I began my weight loss journey, and I credit the below weight loss workout and diet plan to my reduced weight of 81 kgs and waist size of 32 inches from 36 inches.

"While the initial few days in the gym were very hard, gradually I developed a habit of working out for 2 hours, a day, while focusing on a 40% HIIT and 60% Cardio routine. My workout plan can be divided into the following 2 phases" -

1. Warmup, which included shoulder stretch, hip flexor stretches, quadriceps stretch, side stretch, the forward hang, etc. Apart from these static exercises, I used to also do some dynamic warmup routines of Jumping Jacks, Squats and Lunges.

2. Burpees and walking up and down the stairs (with dumbbells) (15-20 counts, 3 sets). It is the best way to reduce weight (it worked for me).

3. HIIT - burpees (15-20 counts, 3 sets), mountain climbers (same), butt kicks (same), battle ropes (same) and tyre flip (10 counts, 3 sets)

This was followed by running on the treadmill for 10 mins, cycling 10 mins and forearm & side planks for 3-5 mins.

"After the initial two months, I began weight training. This routine comprised a reduced number of cardio exercises, warmups and HIIT and 40-50 minute window dedicated to weight training."

Straight Barbell Bench Press

Incline Barbell Bench Press (Both Up and Down)

Dumbbell Fly

Pec-Dec Fly

Dumbbell Pullover

Pushups

Pull-ups (10 counts, 3 sets)

Lat Pulldown (2-3 Variants)

Deadlift

Dumbbell Single Arm Row

Bent over Barbell row

Seated cable row

Barbell Push Press

Arnold Press

Dumbbell Lateral raise

Front Dumbbell raise

Seated Dumbbell shoulder press

Shrugs

Barbell Curl

Standing Cable Curl

Hammer curl

Dumbbell concentration curl

Bar Preacher curl

Cable Flex curl

Rope Tricep Pushdown

Tricep Dips

Overhead Triceps Extension

Skull crushers

Bench Dip

Dumbbell Squats

Dumbbell Lunges

Hack Squat

Seated Leg Curl

Leg Extensions

Lying Leg Curls

Leg Press

To ensure his diet was in tandem with his weight loss goals, Kishan restricted his sugar, oil and rice intake. This is the diet plan I was on, it may or may not work foryou but it did the trick for me, he says -

Early morning: A glass of warm water with half a lemon and 1 tablespoon of honey + almonds (after half an hour)

Breakfast: A light salad made from carrots, cucumbers and beetroots OR oats OR a sandwich made from brown bread

Post-workout: A bowl of freshly-cut fruits

Lunch: 2 chapatis with a gravy or dal preparation

Post-lunch: One apple + a cup of green tea (after one hour)

Evening snacks: Carrots or boiled beans

Dinner: 2 chapatis with a gravy or dal preparation

Post-dinner: A glass of warm water

"Ive been able to maintain my current weight by following and eating normal diet, not too much and not too little. I also try to not eat processed foods as much as possible; I prefer home-cooked food. But as a working professional, it gets a little difficult sometimes, yet I manage to eat only a selected few dishes from restaurants. Exercise is also as important as following a healthy diet, so I try and never miss a gym session either.

Dont ever compare yourself with anyone else, you know your body better than anyone else. You dont need to lift all those heavy weights if you cant. Start slow and steady and gradually pick up pace.

Disclaimer: The diet and workout routines shared by the respondents may or may not be approved by diet and fitness experts. GQ India doesn't encourage or endorse the weight loss tips & tricks shared by the person in the article. Please consult an authorised medical professional before following any specific diet or workout routine mentioned above.

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