AR
UR
A young Sri Lankan expat successfully beat diabetes by losing weight, following which he landed a dream job in the UAE. 20-year-old Shashmika Saranga started his weight loss journey in June 2021 at 113 kg. By December, the young man was able to shed 24 kg. During his weight loss journey, Saranga managed to get rid of a recurring pus-filled abscess triggered by his diabetes. As he enrolled himself in a lifeguard training programme, he successfully got a job at a fitness centre in Ajman.
Speaking with the media, Saranga said he was at the worst stage of his life at the beginning of 2021. He had completed his studies in computer hardware networking in 2019, following which he was looking for a job. While he had hopes that he would be able to get a job in his hometown Colombo, the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown changed everything for him. He was stuck at home for almost a year without any jobs and any place to go.
Saranga added that he turned to food to overcome his depression and anxiety which resulted in him gaining 24 kg in one year.
“I began gorging on pizzas, burgers, biryani and sweets. To the extent that I was having a minimum of four heavy meals a day, followed by dessert. At 6’2”, my ideal weight should be somewhere in mid-80s [kg],” Saranga added.
Gaining so much weight, he began dealing with several health issues.
He explained that without any physical training, his blog sugar started going haywire. With all the sitting, he developed a large pus-filled abscess on his back, almost the size of a small tennis ball.
"Every time I would get it drained, it would recur after a month. This went on. I was struggling with pain and weakness," he added.
In April 2021, he conducted a proper surgery to excise his abscess. However, doctors told Saranga that the only way for him to make it go away is to lose weight, cut out unhealthy food, exercise and control his blood sugar. After a slow start for weeks, Saranga was able to lose 4 kg in one month.
Time for change
When the abscess recurred in June 2021, Saranga gained the courage to overcome his challenges. He started reading more about fitness and health regimes. He went on to design his own regime for improved weight loss.
“I used to be so athletic in school as a regular volleyball player. I had to regain my old physical form. Therefore, I decided I had no alternative but to work out and take charge of my health," he added.
Saranga explained that it was challenging in the beginning due to his poor stamina.
"I could barely walk on the treadmill, as I was so breathless. The first month was not only exhausting but also discouraging as I lost no weight at all,” recalled Saranga.
However, Saranga decided to move forward and stick to his fitness regime. Gradually, he was able to walk faster on the treadmill and then run in the later weeks. By the second month, the young boy was spending at least three hours at the gym.
"I focused only on cardio and my diet. I did daily one hour of cardio and two hours of muscle training. I could run 6km on treadmill and burn 600 calories, all this while paying a lot of attention to what I would eat. I completely cut out all carbohydrates from my diet," he added.
He cut out all desserts and fast food items from his diet which made him feel lighter. After three hours of gym training, he would often do a minimum of five laps of swimming.
“That really spurred me on. My metabolism really revved. I lost 10kg by end of the third month and then my weight just started falling off. I felt so good and my painful abscess did not recur after that as my blood sugar, which used to be in the range of 130-150 mgdl in fasting, got back to normal,” Saranga added.
Saranga received enormous support from his parents and friends throughout his weight loss journey.
“My parents loved to have their occasional burger and pizza, but gave it all up in my support. They were my main motivators and inspired me to stay steady on my weight loss journey, as did my friends," he underlined.
Ticket to UAE job
During his weight loss journey, he also enrolled at a fitness centre in Colombo for a lifeguard course in view of his love for swimming. This course helped him in landing a job as a lifeguard in Ajman.
“My life has changed 360 degrees for the better. I feel absolutely healthy and energetic and am determined to go ahead in this field. I am planning to train as a gym instructor and enrol for a course at a local fitness-training institute.
He expressed his willingness to inspire and support other people experiencing similar health issues and help them in losing weight and following a healthy lifestyle.
Saranga’s diet
• Breakfast: Half lemon squeezed in a glass of water, two boiled eggs and two slices of brown bread.
• Snacks: Orange, Green Apple and bananas
• Lunch: Vegetable salads, soup, grilled chicken or fish and two slices of brown bread
• Evening Snacks: Oranges and grapes
• Dinner: Two boiled eggs, wheat bread plus zero fat cheese.
• Drink: nearly 3.5 litres of water daily.
SOURCE: Gulf News