How I Lost Weight Watching YouTube

W​atch videos on YouTube and lose weight? That’s not possible.

W​hat if I told you that it IS possible and that it’s the best thing I ever did?

​YouTube is not just a place to watch makeup tutorials or funny cat videos. There’s so much to learn on YouTube and I don’t have to tell you that. My favorite channel is GrowithJo. Her videos are simple and fun to follow. But that’s not all I watched. Curious?

First, let’s talk about why I felt the need to lose weight.

W​hy do I need to lose weight?

If you want to lose weight, don’t do it for any other reason other than YOU. Do it for yourself and no one else.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve never been skinny. I wasn’t ever obese either but with age and poor sleep habits, stress, poor eating habits, and sedentary work life, I wasn’t doing great.

I​ remember going shopping with my friends and feeling embarrassed to try clothes on, knowing that they wouldn’t fit me. I couldn’t wear what my friends wore because I felt I’d look horrible. What got me down was realizing that finding the basics in my size was difficult.

I have never been overly obese, but knowing that I might have to go to a different section to shop for clothes made me think. It’s one thing to be a certain weight, but it’s another to keep that number increasing.

I​’m a Single South Asian Girl

I​’m 37 and single. That’s looked down upon if you’re South Asian like I am. When my parents decided to start looking for a potential groom for me, the first thing they told me was: You’re going to need to lose weight.

H​arsh but that is reality. Most, if not all, of the guys I have met rejected me the minute they saw me because I’m fluffy. They had other reasons that were pretty petty like, “you’re too cultured,” but whatever.

“​Losing Weight might make you happier,”– My Therapist.

I have a pretty cool relationship with my therapist. I was going through a rough patch for a long time but once we worked through it, the last thing she “suggested” was that I might want to lose some weight. She didn’t say it in those exact words.

I wanted to be in a better place mentally but my therapist raised an important point.

I​f you’re not ready to accept yourself, then no one else will. If you feel you need to work on how you look, then do it for you. No one else. You’ve done the rest. Maybe this is what’s left.

I always felt that I can improve. Sonal 2.0. That’s what I was looking for.

Great in school, dependable for anything, and I knew I was doing my best at being the daughter my parents expected me to be (minus being single). So, I guess I wasn’t happy with the way that I looked.

H​ow I began my weight loss journey

A​t first, I thought that losing weight would fix everything. I would shed a few pounds and be happy. Done.

N​ot true. My therapist was right. I needed to accept how I looked and how I was to be happy. If I felt that I can improve, then I should do it. But where do I start?

B​ollyX.

B​ollyX was featured on Shark Tank a while back, and I am so glad I found it. It’s like Zumba essentially but instead of Zumba music, it’s Bollywood.

T​his is one program that I’ve stuck to for the last year and a half and I have no regrets. They’re affordable and you don’t need any equipment. I have dumbbells around the house that I occasionally use for the BollyX strength training, but my focus is on the dance cardio. Since the soundtracks would always change and get updated, I would never grow bored with them. I’ve done the 50-minute dance cardio workouts almost every day for the past year and a half!

C​ardio Isn’t Enough to Lose Weight

Studies have shown that to lose weight, you need to incorporate some sort of strength training into your workout routine. Wendy Batts is a regional master instructor for the Nationa Academy of Sports Medicine. She say’s

Muscles are fat burning machines. So the more muscle you have, the more calories you’re going to burn.

Read: Trying to Lose Weight? Here’s why Strength Training is as important as Cardio (EatingWell)

You continue to burn calories after your workout too! Your body uses calories to repair the sore and stressed muscles after a workout. Cool huh?

I’m new to strength training (well relatively new). The first place I started to look for a strength training routine was YouTube.

Y​ouTube helps you lose weight?

G​rowwithJo is my favorite YouTube channel for two reasons:

• y​ou don’t need a lot of space
• t​they’re practical and easy to follow

I​’ve stuck to these workouts for 8 months and have seen amazing results! But the key is to stay consistent. She has great playlists and there’s something for every level. The best place to start is with her beginner-level workouts. She does a great job in introducing weight training to her routines so that you don’t injure yourself as a beginner.

Did you know Jo also has a Bollywood Dance Workout? Check it out:

I​t’s a great place to start! Plus if you’re a BollyX dancer like me, the playlist that Jo uses will sound familiar. So mix up the dance steps for a more intense workout!

I​t’s Not Just Counting Calories. You need to Eat Right to Lose Weight.

I​ know this isn’t news to you. But you need to change your diet if you want your workouts to mean anything. For example, if you think having an IHOP breakfast and then working out is going to result in weight loss, think again.

Weight loss is 30% workout and 70% diet. Then why work out? Just diet, right?

D​ieting alone is good, but you want to build muscle. You want to keep the weight off and live an attainable lifestyle.

B​ut we all suffer from those bad cravings. Be it fast food, sweets, soda, etc… what then?

Y​ouTube to the rescue!

C​onfused?

I​’m sure you’ve heard of Mukbangs.

M​ukbangs are eating shows. They’re all over YouTube and those channels are doing extremely well too! How do those help?

Whenever I’m craving something, I just watch a Mukbang of what I want to eat. Watching someone eat food, gives me the feeling that I’ve eaten it. I feel like I’m enjoying the food along with the YouTuber. Craving, gone.

T​his can backfire on those that have little to no willpower because watching these videos is introducing you to dishes that you haven’t heard of. Watching them over and over again makes you curious and ultimately, makes you want to eat them. It’s like a YouTube Made Me Do It situation.

L​osing weight doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Trust me, after all these years of not caring about myself, and one day deciding to take the plunge–if that can happen and work for me, then you guys have no excuse. And you’re not alone! You got me rooting in your corner.

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