My Story: I Wanted To Prove People Wrong. I Wanted To Earn My Respect And Stop Feeling Terrible

“I was in 6th grade when I started to put on weight. Before that, I was quite a fit kid. Though I was never on the skinny side, thanks to my genes, I wasn’t unhealthy. I was doing gymnastics, playing sports and would also swim. My appetite had increased due to all the physical activities. I literally used to compete with my dad when it came to eating rotis and kid I could eat 7-8 rotis at a time and well, still be fit and look totally appropriate. But then I reached a point where I just stopped doing everything and I was diverted towards painting and sketching but my appetite? It remained the same. With no physical activity, I still ate those 8 rotis, I still ate ice cream everyday, I still had 5 chocolates a day and I lost all the control. My parents told me to stop eating like that but like any 13-yr-old teen I was a rebel, I still and that’s when I put on 30kgs in no time. By the time I was in class 10th I was 94kgs.

I was ‘judged’ by so many at my school, not only by guys but by girls as well. No one actually ever came to talk to me. I was that ugly duckling who was trying to fit in the crowd. I won’t lie, but it did bother me. But I had my 4 best friends and so I just ignored others. My BFFs were the prettiest of our batch. People used to think I hung out with them to get noticed, I felt really bad when rumours like these reached me. But my friends told me not to pay attention to all that and always supported me. I knew I was judged for being fat. I just never showed it to anyone except my ‘besties’ and my mom. They always told me that I should get my life together and work on myself so that I don’t face any health issues, but as usual, I never took it seriously.

Then there was college life, I was one 18-yr-old adult, totally zoned out by the ‘I am smarter than my parents’ zone. I was kind of in my own world with my 4 best friends ignoring other people and showing as if I didn’t care. And then came along my 5th bestest friend. We were those perfect BFFs that you saw in movies like ‘Jane tu ya jane na’.

Until one day, someone came up to him and said.. ‘You roaming with Mita? The fat chick? Really?’ He, of course, told me about it (for my good) and I was shaken. My heart was broken into small bits. I was shattered, not because that person called me ‘fat’ but because in this world people just notice the negatives in you, they judge you by the way you look. The focus is only on the bad qualities rather than 10 other good qualities one has. In the real world, looks do matter.

I wanted to prove people wrong. I wanted to earn my respect and my confidence is back. I wanted to stop feeling terrible and feel healthy. And more than all this I wanted the world to know that I am more than my weight. That’s when I decided to get life back on track and totally kill it. I consulted a dietician and along with following a balanced diet started working out rigorously. In the beginning with treadmill and floor exercises and then upgraded it to a jog and Zumba. I lost around 12kgs in a matter of 3 months.

So here I am now, 12kgs down with good skin, good hair and a proportionate toned body. Now, I have gained my confidence back, I am noticed by all, the same people come to me asking how I transformed myself. Well, I am still not where I want to be… I still have a long long way to go, but I know I am gonna get there.

I have my own YouTube channel. The purpose of my channel is to reach to people and encourage them and to spread the love. Even if I make a difference in one person’s life, I would say my purpose is fulfilled.”