Losing weight, especially when you are overweight or obese, is no easy task. From the body giving up easily to your appetite becoming your biggest enemy, weight loss almost becomes a wild goose chase. For Snigdha Baruah, it was no different. However, she managed to shed 35 kilos to get to her ideal weight. Just like many others, she tried and tested almost everything and finally found what worked best for her. The woman has shared some insights from her weight loss journey and shared some steps that helped her. “I’m no fitness expert. Just someone who lost 35 kgs — the hard way, but the real way.

Here are 5 things that actually worked for me — no shortcuts, no fluff,” she said, in a video shared on Instagram.Exercise is crucial

Exercise is one of the most important factors when it comes to weight loss. You have to burn that extra fat by exercising. But what exercise works best? Well, this depends. Snigdha Baruah confessed that she tried every workout until she found the one that worked for her. “Go through many routines and you will find what works for your body best,” she said. She also added that she stuck to the workout that worked best for her, and then repeated it for at least three to four months before switching to another. Eat clean

The holy grail of weight loss is to stick to an ideal diet. So, how does one find this ‘ideal diet’. Take one step at a time. You can start by eating clean. This means incorporating vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and healthy fats in the diet. Eat home-cooked meals. Does that mean you deprive yourselves of all the joys of eating? Not really. “Be a little strict with your food habits. You need to consistently stick to your breakfast, lunch, and dinner plan. Only then will you truly earn the right to reward yourself on Sundays,” the woman said. Sleep is non-negotiable

One grave mistake that people on a weight-loss journey make is ignoring the importance of sleep. Sleep is non-negotiable. You have to get at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep every single night. “If you keep scrolling reels late into the night, your body won’t rest, recover, or support your transformation. If you truly want to lose weight, sleep on time,” Snigdha said. Document your transformation

It is crucial that you track your progress. Yes, you have to see for yourself how you are transforming. Snigdha shared that she clicked pictures to track her progress. She didn’t rely on the weighing scale alone. Yeah, sometimes you could notice changes on your body, even if the scales says otherwise. “Click lots of pictures, daily, if you can. When you look back at them after 3–5 months, you’ll feel so proud of how far you’ve come. You’ll want to pat yourself on the back,” she said.Love yourself

Yes, you might be kilos away from your ideal weight. But that doesn’t mean you hate the body you have now. Body positivity is about accepting and loving yourself the way you are. Be thankful for what your body does for you every single day. “Unless and until you love yourself, you won’t be able to stick to this difficult routine,” she said. She confessed that she loved herself through it all, even when it felt impossible.