“Cannons K” as we’re going to call her here, has been weight training with me over 6 months now and is a fellow Punjabi girl who absolutely loves lifting as much as I do. I’ve created a monster and we both like it!
In the few short months, she’s safely, slowly, and sanely dropped 8 lbs, 1.7% of her bodyfat, but most impressively (and this is why we don’t rely on just ONE tool for measuring loss), 2 inches from her waistline, 2.5 inches from her hips, and almost an inch off each thigh. The pictures are also informative. In the photos below, you can see the difference in the waistline, lower abdomen, and upper arm.
So, what’s her story?
Sumi: What made you decide that you were ready for weight training?
Cannons K: I have been meaning to weight train for a while but never made the commitment before now. Friends and family who have been lifting, all have such great things to say about it mainly from a health perspective. I tired to do some group lifting classes at my gym but you can’t compare that with a personal session where someone is spotting you and working with you for best results and making sure you don’t get hurt.
Sumi: How come you didn’t share in the common myth (that we, as Indians often hold on to) that weight training will make you HUGE or that you might hurt yourself?
Cannons K: Well! You said it, its just a myth. I heard it all, don’t do a push up its going to make you wide, so on and so forth but it never made sense to me so here I am proving that its not true.
Sumi: As a mother of 2 young boys, is finding the time to lift hard for you? How do you budget the time for it?
Cannons K: It’s a commitment like any other thing that is important to you. This is VERY important to me so I MAKE time for it.
Sumi: You’re lucky in that you’re an awesome cook and know how to create super healthy Indian recipes. Give our readers your favorite tips on cooking for fat loss, and how to cook healthy Indian food.
Cannons K: I love to cook and experiment. You can do clean cooking with Indian food. Our food can be pretty rich with the curries and butter but a simple tip is to use nuts or greek yogurt in curries instead of cream and butter. They will taste great minus additional the fat calories. You can check out my Tandoori Salmon Recipe here.
Sumi: You’ve also got a very busy social calendar and have to juggle a lot of kids parties and so forth. How do you manage to eat to suit your fat loss goals when there’s so much temptation?
Cannons K: Its easy to find food that suits your needs. You can always find either a veggie platter or fruits at any group event and temptation (cupcakes, brownies…yummm) is always going to be there. You need to know when to walk away and when and how much to indulge in.
Sumi: Unlike me, you were actually born and raised in India so you’re far more in tune with some of the cultural myths that Indians believe with respect to weight training and clean cooking. Tell me what those are, and how come you’ve forged a very different approach.
Cannons K: I have heard people tell me, “you are genetically gifted and drinking water makes us fat.” I am NOT gifted any more than the person next to me. I work hard at it and know what works for me. Simple rule for me has been you are what you eat.
Sumi: What do you enjoy most about weight training? Other than the physique transformation, tell me what’s changed.
Cannons K: The commitment I have made to myself. This is one hour twice a week I will not trade for anything. Don’t get me wrong, its an hour of grueling hard work and sometimes going back to sleep looks like a better option but its unbelievably satisfying to push your limits and come out strong. It has given me positive energy and stamina and lets me work out my issues, whatever they might be (stress, deadlines, work…). Sometimes that’s all you need to get in a better frame of mind.
Sumi: Do you have any specific tips for fat loss or exercise for Indian moms, or moms in general? How can they emulate your success story?
Cannons K: I have used the work commitment several times and that’s what you need. You need the focus and the determination to succeed. There is not a magic pill or a miracle to get you results fast. Its slow and steady but you’ll get there in the end. Persevere and it will get you the results so you have to put in the work.
Shaillee Chopra
August 26, 2014 at 9:09 pmVery Well Said !!
It is a commitment to Self and sets positive example for kids as well.
Thanks for sharing!
MK
August 27, 2017 at 1:59 pmAbsolutely!! It’s a commitment to self and to set an example for kids to lead a healthy n fit life. Finding a right PT is also very critical. Not all are dedicated or get the clients the way you get it so well. Heavy lifting is the only way to be strong and fit. Muscle memory helps you long after even if you slow down one day. When ever you pick it up, doesn’t take long to get back in.
Life keeps presenting challenges one after other. Winner is she who can dodge every bullet coming out and yet keep moving forward just like the horse with the blinders on, focused to get to that end goal.