Weekly Notes 2024 W07

I went back to the gym this Tuesday after not attending it for almost a month because of bouts of depression, work overload, and travel.
I was back with some optimism and new energy, and then I fell ill.

I caught a cold and was in bed most of Wednesday and Thursday.

Friday, I completed the last few frames remaining in the Kodak DoubleXX roll by taking photos of my office and colleagues.
I loaded the camera with Fomapan 400 as I wanted to take some pictures while also being out for work.

On Friday, I had to be out most of the day for an internal project. I had traveled across the city in search of some items for the project. Had to find vendors and get things done.
This is different from my usual responsibilities - and away from the screen, so I enjoyed it. It was full of last-minute frenzy, but my ADHD saved me.

I took a few images at Avenue Road.

My new coffee beans are here this week. I ordered Blue Tokai’s 11th Birthday Blend after reading about it in the IndiaCBC’s Discord.
I am yet to open it.
For the last few weeks, I have enjoyed Kapikottai’s Curveball brewed with an Aeropress.

It has become a ritual of sorts for the last few days. I wake up around noon, make my Aeropress, put up a story on my Instagram with the coffee, and practice my Urdu by posting the caption in Urdu. I enjoy doing this.

Sunday, after waking up at 1 PM, I went on a photo walk. I was out for 3 hours and was back when the sun set.

I was not super inspired and probably was not that careful in metering or framing, but I did take photos - which made me happy. Having a camera in hand means that I end up talking to people I would not usually - and that makes me happy too. Plus, it also is a fun way to get in the steps.

I learned something new this week - more than learning, this was probably a changed outlook.

I have always been chubby. As a kid, I was bullied and mocked for this. My mother was/is eternally worried.

My nickname in school was “डबल्य” (fatty) in Marathi.

Each time I attend a family or extended family event, many relatives magically turn into doctors immediately and be super concerned about my health.

“Oh you have added on some weight” - Thanks, Sherlock. I never had access to a mirror.

“You know, walk for an hour every day”, “You need to cycle”, “Do yoga”, “First thing in the morning, mix lemon and honey in warm water and drink”, “Stop eating any fried food”, “Don’t be on an empty stomach for a long time”, “Sleep early and wake up early”

Each time these people threw in that generic advice and useless pseudoscience quackery at me, a puppy died in heaven. Of boredom.

We moved home during my high school years, and for my 9-12 standard, I ended up cycling for about 15km a day. This did help me lose some weight - but people forgot to tell me that. So I continued to live in that shame.

Then college happened, I stayed within walking distance, and was busy anyway - no more physical labor - I ended up gaining back more weight. After moving to Bangalore, the same thing continued, only more busy now. I weigh now about 110 kg.

I didn’t have time to focus on this. I had different priorities and was already suffering - Surely I didn’t want to suffer more?

I have also been seeing a weird “pipeline” in the wild.

I termed this “fitness to pseudoscience/spirituality” pipeline.

Whenever I find someone I know, either famous or in IRL goes into a “fitness” mode, in a few months they end up being “Spiritual”, along with the whole manifestation-loving-i$ha-$adguru-hyping-ayurveda-peddling shebang.

8eer8iceps is a famous example.

All of this made me very much resistant to the idea.

But what changed was I learned about TDEE and Calorie deficit this week. I didn’t know that the majority of what I eat goes into being alive.

So, to reduce weight, all I need is simple math.

If (Calorie_Intake - TDEE) < 0 then weight_loss();

Even without exercise - if I eat with a calorie deficit, there is going to be a weight loss.
Even if I end up eating junk - I’ll lose weight.
(I know why the above two, even though they will lead to weight loss, are not ideal and healthy - I am just here making my case of why it flipped a switch in me).

I missed this memo - maybe because our educated Indian middle class and media are busy peddling pseudoscience quick hacks rather than focusing on first principles.

Now this does not feel like a vague “Exercise and eat healthy” thingy - It is quantifiable.

So now, I’m being careful about what I eat, and I am trying to be in a Calorie deficit. I want to continue my gym too - mainly because I am enjoying it (to an extent).

Till next week -