A Self Invited Disease

For his promotion party, she decided to pull out the old top she wore on her college farewell. After 8 years, she could not stuff herself inside it. He saw her struggle and said, "Madam, this won't fit you. High time, you need to lose weight." Then, as if he conspired the whole universe to put her on a hammering conveyor belt of "Weight Loss".

The next day, she went to pick up her son from preschool and overheard fellow mums discussing having a spoonful of honey mixed in a warm glass of water, first thing in the morning. While the thought was lingering in her mind, on her way back, a distant relative saw her after years and said, "You look chubby. The maternity glow is phenomenal", she was confused, was that a compliment, or was she being ridiculed. The thought of having honey on an empty stomach in the morning started becoming stronger.

After having lunch, when she started scrolling social media, all she could see was "Weight loss/inch loss exercises, a variety of diets for weight loss, no equipment exercises/ workout from home...."

"Harsh was right. The phone is like Alexa. It listens to whatever is being said around and then throws similar content on the feed. Should I give this a serious thought? Am I so fat?" Her thoughts were interrupted by the reminder on the phone, "Have your green tea."

"Oh God. No, please. I hate the taste of it. When so yummy food exists, why do I intend to die without savoring it?", she kept thinking to herself as she gulped that bland green tea sip by sip.

Experimenting with diet plans was only making her lethargic and one morning, while making oats upma, she collapsed in the kitchen. Fortunately, Harsh was home. All of this happened before he left for office. He immediately took her to the hospital. Her BP had dropped, it was the lowest. While her right hand was attached to a drip, she looked at the clock the moment she gained sense. "Harsh", she called him out in a feeble voice. "Prithvi has to be picked from school. It's about time. Please go, I am under observation now. Don't worry about me, go and pick him first", the clock of her responsibilities kept ticking in her head even in all that mess. Harsh smiled to himself, "You stop worrying and relax. Sidharth will pick him up today, I already informed him to do so. I am here, not going anywhere. Relax, will you?", he squeezed her left palm in both his hands to reassure her. A tear of guilt rolled down her cheek, which Harsh wiped off.

After two days, she was allowed to be discharged in a much better condition. The doctor and the dietician had a major concern before the discharge. "Mrs. Malhotra, what have you been doing to yourself?", asked the dietician Dr. Samidha. "Doctor, I won't lie. I have been trying to lose weight, desperately," she responded. Harsh was sitting on the chair next to her, had his face bent down in embarrassment. Dr. Samidha appreciated her honesty, but also reminded her, "Desperately? For whom? Your body endured motherhood. I won't say this is an ideal body, but at least be kind to yourself. Subtract all the human voices and tell me what do you hear?", she asked. "I am waiting to hit the corner Thela at my lane. I could not have Golgappas for the last three days!", she blushed innocently while the room was filled with laughter. "This is the real you. So the next follow-up, let us do it at the chat counter just beneath the hospital, what say?", asked Samidha in a playful tone. "You are so beautiful, and I would wish this mischief remains in you, always. But yes, you have to watch the portions you consume and...", then Dr. Samidha continued her duty of prescribing the do's and don'ts.

There is a reason why the protagonist here does not have a name. That's because, more than obesity, it is forced and unplanned weight loss that has been harming women. I do not advise you to eat like there is no tomorrow; I would rather say, "Eat because you wish to live tomorrow and more. Be mindful, watch your portions, be consistent if you follow any particular diet plan, and patiently wait for results to reflect. And the last one, "IT DOES NOT HAPPEN IN ONE DAY." There is a reason they call it lifestyle change.