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| A Story of A New Beginning.. |
Everyone of us has someone who we consider as our best friend. I too have one. This is his story.
He was the youngest in his family and was a pampered kid. His mother like all the dutiful and pampering mothers, fed her love through the food she gave him. Copious amounts of it. Even as a little kid, he developed an voracious appetite. So, he ate all the time. He was a healthy looking boy.
As time went on, the boy became an young man, went to college, graduated, started working, loved a girl and got married. He was a pampered husband. His wife beamed with pride when he devoured whatever she lovingly cooked. As a result he began to look even more healthy.
Of course, he only ‘looked’ healthy. But even as a kid he had many health issues. He suffered badly with recurring breathing issues besides the usual coughs and colds. His mother had to make innumerable trips to various hospitals carrying the not-so-light-weight boy. The poor lady had to helplessly endure hell during those times looking at his suffering and spending many sleepless nights.
After he got married, the scenario was not that different. It was now his wife that spent sleepless nights, helplessly looking at him suffer from his all too frequent bronchitis attacks. She used to go through hell helplessly looking on as he coughed and struggled to breath throughout the night. That went on for many nights and the tons and tons of prescription medicines didn’t seem to help him in anyway.
He used to fall sick almost every month, suffering for a week, recovering for another week, looking healthy for a week or two before the cycle started all over again. In the meantime, he continued to eat heartily because it was important to eat well to be healthy according to his well wishers. And eating well meant eating more. He loved his food. He became more healthy looking.
On his 31st birthday he weighed in at 92 kilos. Just 20 kilos overweight for his height. He looked at his darling wife who was six months pregnant. They were expecting their first child. He thought that he would be the worst example for his kid. He also remembered his father who left this world when he was still in his teens. He remembered the pain his family had to endure due to that. He did not want his young family to go through such a pain because of him.
He wanted to do something about his fitness. He knew that if he became fit, his health issues and weight problems will sort themselves out. He started with trying to play badminton in his apartment complex. On the first day, he could not even play for five minutes continuously. He struggled to move and huffed and puffed like a steam engine. He had to stop and sit out for the rest of the day, recovering.
The next day, he knew that he would struggle again to move. But he came back to play the next day, the day after and the day after. The progress was slow. But it was there. He kept at it. He began to move better. He wanted to improve further and started running as cross training. Before that time, he actively hated running because he couldn’t run even for a few meters.
But this time he was motivated to improve. He started with jogging for just a couple of rounds around his apartment building before his daily round of badminton and slowly increased the distance. There was more progress. That motivated him further to keep going. Then he chanced upon Yoga on TV and began doing simple Pranayama and a few Asanas before the game. There was further improvement.
As the time went on he began to alternate between jogging, yoga and badminton so that he was not bored by any one activity daily. He made sure he spent at least an hour doing some or the other workout. He was able to play badminton for more than an hour continuously without being tired. He also began to eat only as much as is required to keep him going instead of devouring jumbo sized meals every day.
In the process he lost 16 kilos of weight in about 8 months. He was leaner, fitter and healthier by the time his first child was six months old. On the same day that his kid turned six months old, he gifted himself a cycle. He started cycling to keep off the flab and continue to stay active. Not surprisingly, in the process his sick days began to decrease and eventually vanished. In nearly three years that followed till this day, he is yet to visit a doctor or depend on medication.
My friends call him, Venky.
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Read about the second innings here: http://www.govenkygo.com/2011/10/story-of-my-best-friend-2nd-innings.html
Awesome story, Venky. I like that you feel so close to your fitness and health. Keep at it, and keep having fun.
Keep riding Venky; as I said you are inspiration to many like me now!!!
This is an amazing story Venky. Stay healthy always 🙂
I know a lot of people who need to see this and be inspired!
Super! Keep going
Thank you guys! @MC: I don't mind you sharing it 🙂
Very inspiring and "moving"(in both senses!) post Venky!
Deepa.
Beautiful story Venky, narrated very well.
Like you, even I love my bicycle very much!
Inspiring Venky and written so well. I think you should start writing professionally. – Gokul
Inspiring and well written Venky.
Deepa, Sunil, Gokul& Maddy, thank you. @Gokul: I don't mind being commissioned to write, but the fun factor should be there like when I write about cycling 🙂
Nice Venky. You are an inspiration
Venky, very well written and i passed to friends in my circle.
@Jwala, Vamsi, thank you!
Dude, this is AWESOME! I share a very similar story. I'd love to capture it too. Will do sometime soon! You are my inspiration for blogging in addition to the other good things!
Look forward to meet you sometime in person!
GoVenkyGo 🙂
Good story !! indeed an inspiring one.. I know U as one of the true lover of bicycles and also a promoter.. keep up the good work..
@Kishan & Rao garu: Thank you.
Truly inspirational…
Really inspiring awe,and i to had friend and he is also facing the same problem(weight) and i will motivate him in this way…
truly inspirational..
some before and after photos will be even more motivating.
Inspirational and motivating
wittyguy, Pavan, Vinay & Manuj: Thank you 🙂 @Vinay: Will try to find something!
Got to your website through BZ forums. This post is truly inspirational for me as I am too going through some of the similar problems of breathing and hypertension and I am overweight by 18 Kg.
I started cycle and walk a bit while under Homeopathic medication for hypertension. Hoping to improve it.
Glad to hear about your move towards your well being, Ram. It is very easy to get disheartened when we don't see quick results. It pays to be patient and persistent. Take it one day at a time and you will eventually get there. I wish you all the very best ahead.
hi venky…to be honest and open..I have kept your page as a book mark and do read it often hoping to see some change in my laziness to take my bike out for a ride…once on the road we ride for close to an hour but the hiccup is getting my two wheeled babe out on the road from the 3rd floor…ever heard of such a complaint…hehehe…oops…its the guilt swing again…gosh..am I over weight!!!
@Leadgame/Krishna: Haha, of course, I've heard worse complaints. Actually, I've given worse excuses. So, it's not that strange. What I noticed is that when there is indecision, even the smallest of the reasons are enough for our lazy side to not do it. But, when there is a firm decision to do a thing, we will find ways to make it happen. That is where objective and measurable goals come to our help. Say you made a decision to ride for 6 hours this week and planned to ride 1 hour each on Tuesday and Thursday with 2 hours each on Saturday and Sunday, you will find ways to put that tick mark against those tiny goals that roll up to the weekly goal. Days add up to weeks, weeks add up to months and months to years and before you know, you've reached and surpassed your own goals and are moving towards bigger goals. Focus on the process and the results will follow.
Sorry about the sermon above. I don't mean to sound patronaizing. It is not like you don't already know this stuff. Knowing is one thing and doing is another. I still struggle with these issues very regularly and it is as much a reminder to me as it is to you. All the best with your weight goals. 🙂
🙂 while reading your post..I felt like talkign to a good ol' buddy…thanks Venky..do keep writing…and above all..do keep inspiring… 😀
Hey…have to send you an update…I started off..some 3 months back…after a scary episode of low heart rates n things…diet went under control and walking came in…It was a sore experience at first…have picked up a bit now…I can see the improvements…cycling is now a creeping on my weekly enjoyments…
THANKS A LOT BUDDY…YOU ARE A ROCKSTAR…
and to all those who snacked and piled up…watchout…longs days ahead…wooooooooooooooooooooooooooo