Nirmala Phadtare, 26, a wedding cinematographer by profession, tells us what made her a fitness enthusiast and how a simple diet plan helped her achieve her goal.
‘I have a sweet tooth’
Phadtare says that she was a healthy baby since her childhood. “Since school days, I was often teased but I never took it seriously. I used to eat anything and at any time. Also, I have a sweet tooth so I couldn’t resist my cravings for sugar. But after my 10th Boards, I realised that I must do something about fitness. At that time, I also suffered from PCOD. I joined a gym and followed a diet plan. I put in a lot of effort and controlled my diet, lessening the gap between my meals, no oily food, junk and sugar. This was my first brush with nutrition. But soon after my 10th Boards vacation, I was back to square one. I started eating junk,” she says.
Junk food and lethargy led to obesity. She weighed 93 kgs. “When I was doing my Masters in Pune, I was away from home and that made it worse. I chose to have outside food over mess food. That was a way to overcome homesickness,” says Phadtare.
Adding more she says, “Because of a physical injury, a couple of years back, I had to undergo two surgeries and even physiotherapy couldn’t help me recover. Later, I joined Alistair’s Dance Academy, because they conducted Zumba sessions. The moment i joined, I realised it’s not just Zumba, they made me do functional training, weight training, cardio and other forms of exercise. The best part is that they made me realise the importance of nutrition. All these things played vital roles in my recovery and also proved to be a reason to continue with my workout,” says the fitness enthusiast.
She is a foodie, but ever since she got into fitness, it has transformed her both mentally and physically. She lost 10 kgs in four months, after joining the gym and following a meal plan.
Healthy alternatives
Nowadays, she checks the nutrition facts label before buying any food product. If there’s any sugar content in the product, she does not purchase it.
“Since I have a sweet tooth, I have replaced sugar with options like jaggery, fruits and natural sweeteners. I have bid goodbye to maida, chocolates, biscuits and refined sugar, and I make no excuses to consume them. There are always healthier options available that one can look for. We have to train ourselves to think that all the hard work has led us to better results,” says Phadtare, who follows healthy alternatives even when she is shooting in outdoor locations.
Her diet
She follows a simple diet and her last meal is at 7 pm. “In the morning, I have warm water with ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar). For breakfast, which is an important meal of the day, I have either poha, idli, skimmed milk with corn flakes or muesli, or oats. After two hours, I have either a fruit or a juice without sugar or something light. For lunch, I have roti, subzi in more quantity, salad which is a must, cucumber, carrots and anything that is easily available. Around 5 pm, I have black coffee. I don’t have anything after 7 pm, so my dinner is light. It consists of bhakris, boiled eggs, quinoa or a soup,” she says.
Diet is not about starving, it’s about having healthier options. Being a wedding cinematographer, Phadtare says that her schedules are demanding. Either she is sitting at one place and editing the videos or she is on her toes shooting at outdoor locations.
“When I am shooting at various locations, there’s constant physical activity and I can easily track it. But when I am sitting in one place and editing, I go to the gym, go for a walk for half an hour after every meal or cycle,” she says.
Phadtare gives an important tip, “Take that first step, begin somewhere, be it anything. Go to a gym, go for a walk and try to say ‘no’ to chocolate. Just do it if you want it to happen as you are responsible for it.”