Masaba Gupta: My body comes first. The world can wait

As someone who has made a career of designing attires that flatter womenrsquos bodies Masaba Gupta has had a largely public tussle with her own Discussion around the weight of the designer mdash who has been vocal about battling polycystic ovarian syndrome mdash was renewed when only weeks ago she flaunted her chiselled midriff a result of a weightloss routine that enabled her to be her lightest in 10 yearsThe feat becomes pronounced in the knowledge of the challenges that a condition like PCOS can pose Shrugged off with terms like lsquocommonrsquo and lsquoseamlessly manageablersquo it could have masses disillusioned that the condition is in fact seamlessly manageable It is tough and requires discipline but is not impossible admits Gupta urging people to put their faith in a weightloss routine when addressing the issueThe biggest challenge in tackling PCOS is not related to the weight but to the opinions All the promoted recommendations talk of consuming medication or adding chemicals to the body Weightloss has been my triedandtested method and many people get irritated when I say that It may not be the sole solution to PCOS but it is a start You need to have a streamlined approach and there is no room for short cuts says the fashion designerApart from the fact that she has learnt to avoid foods like chocolate and milk which cause skin inflammation within a matter of a few hours Gupta is an advocate of intermittent fasting I was introduced to it at an Australian spa I was struggling with PCOS then and they had discussed the pattern which involved consuming healthy meals only in a limited time window The results were evident mdash I lost weight had more energy and was able to keep my condition in check My skin improved and I had mental clarity It also adds a sense of discipline to your routineFor the most part Gupta follows a familiar diet She kicks off her day with fruits and consumes her share of carbs with rice rotis and sabzis for lunch A special roti pizza mdash sans cheese mdash makes its debut in our diet vocabulary Itrsquos what I consume for dinner with vegetables and paneer if I must However mindful of her tendency to lose the sense of proportionaleating while binging shersquos taken steps to avoid snacking altogether Some people can do it mindfully While I will have makhanas and roasted chickpeas if I need to I generally avoid snacking between meals It throws me out of whack and I begin to eat whatever comes my wayShe is neither into fancy diets nor fad workouts She says she will never be caught experimenting with unconventional routines in a swimming pool even though she recently gave a go at Animal Flow and found it to be a pleasant extension to yoga Gupta largely sticks to the basics mdash three days of weightlifting comprising movements like squats and lunges some amount of functional training and skipping and a lot of yoga Occasionally shersquoll indulge in a game of tennisBut despite the struggle to maintain her weight especially as part of an industry that romanticises lithe figures Gupta has been able to establish a relationship of admiration with her routine My equation with fitness is a beautiful one I set my life around it and thatrsquos the only way it works If you see it as a chore it will always be one But this is what will help you live a better life I thrive in it mdash it helps keep me in a good mood manage stress and celebrate the joy that food is I learnt from Shiamak Davar that the body is a temple mdash respect it and it will help you My body and mind come first The rest of the world can wait Sara Ali KhanTherersquos a reason Sara Ali Khan is papped at a fitness studio as often as she is Having confessed that apart from a bad diet PCOS contributed to her weightgain in her teenage years Khan must be vigilant about adhering to her wellness routine In an interview to a magazine she had reportedly said that the only real cure is constant consistent and focused lifestyle changesSonam K AhujaSonam K Ahuja confesses to having consulted several doctors and dietitians before she could arrive at a good place with her health Apart from taking to an active lifestyle she claims to have completely eliminated sugar both refined and natural from her diet The decision she says has been lifechangingAlso Read Hope in the struggle Sonam Kapoor reveals about suffering from PCOSParallels between PCOS and weightgainDr Tanaya Narendra Picsistock InstagramDr Tanaya Narendra aka Dr Cuterus who doles out details on issues relating to womenrsquos health on Instagram addresses why weightgain and PCOS are linkedWhy does PCOS lead to weightgainBlood sugar levels are regulated by a hormone called insulin In patients with PCOS the amount of this hormone isnrsquot affected but the bodyrsquos ability to react to it is Itrsquos like the body stuffs cotton into its ears and refuses to do what the hormone tells it to It results in a spike in blood sugar levels Not only does one put on weight but the weight is also difficult to get rid ofLiving with PCOS is like riding a cycle on a level road and suddenly coming across a steep slope Medications serve as the boost you need to ride upwardsHow does weightloss tackle the conditionWeightloss should not be the goal because that can lead to starvation which nullifies the effort put into managing it Incorporating more exercise into your regimen and consuming good food should be the goalWith PCOS something changes with our metabolism Wersquore yet to discover why that happens because studies into womenrsquos health issues have only got a boost 20 years ago But this does mean that despite being on a caloriedeficit diet women with the condition may not be able to lose weight Thatrsquos why an exercise routine can aid the processWhat are the conditions women should be wary aboutRisks of gynaecological cancers increase in women who go untreated One can develop diabetes blood pressure and cardiovascular issues Smoking is awful anyway and more so if you have the condition because like PCOS it affects the blood vessels and increases the levels of testosterone We also notice a fair amount of mental health issues depression and anxiety all of which crop up due to struggling with managing the disease