The Battle of the Bulge. Begins.

At just an inch and a few millimeters short of six feet, I stand tall. Taller than most Indian men, in the very least. But, if you see me in a crowd nowadays, you wouldn’t say so. That’s because, in the past couple of years my horizontal pride has been humbled by the slow and sure vertical growth.

Really humbling.

Especially, if one has been an active member of the Fit-For-Life-And-No!-Fat-Can-Never-Be-Us gang that would break into pink cheeked hilarity at the mere sight of our more well-rounded brethren.

Which is why, these days, you won’t notice me standing tall in a crowd. I’d be too busy turning my self into an oxymoron (a moron too! And no, an oxymoron is not a higher order moron. And yes! The pun is absolutely intentional). I do this by hunching in an effort to make myself as small as possible.

Apart from making myself small, I also try and ensure:
· Not walking next to/with people who are abnormally lean.
· That I wear stripes, as much as I can.
· Wearing light colours. (Mostly, because I love black . . .)
· Donning loose-fitting apparel.

Does any of this help me?

Not really. Because, as much as I cheat my own self – I’m fat. I can’t jog 12 km (bare feet!) anymore. I don’t have the stamina to sweat it out in the gym for an hour and a half. I can’t fit into my beautiful suits from just two years ago . . .

But, I will.

I woke up at 6.30 am this morning, with a beautiful vision of me being healthy again. This glorious vision alone replenished the long depleted fuel of inspiration that gets people out of bed at such unearthly hours for a jog.

And jog I did. Actually, who am I cheating again . . .? I got up, and went for a 30 minute brisk walk. All of my 109 kilos inspired to make themselves small, so I can stand tall once again.

Tomorrow I hit the gym, after the walk.

I will fight the bulk everyday. I will win back my own old self kilo by kilometer. Svelte by sweat.

Just for the record, I weigh 109 kilo’s as of today.
My waist measures 42 inches.

My self esteem doesn't even measure anymore . . .

The fight’s begun. We’ll review these figures in just one month.