M Aamir Khan
Srinagar: Uzma (name changed) was obese right from her childhood and after delivering her baby, she put on extra kilos. Unable to lose her postpartum weight, she slipped into depression and avoided going out of her home.
Even as she was suggested to consult a mental health counselor, Uzma came across an advertisement for a ‘postpartum weight loss programme’ at a nearby gym. After enrolling herself in the programme, she not only got a new lease on life but also realized that the gyms in Kashmir were not confined to just bodybuilding and weightlifting anymore.
“I had started feeling depressed and was avoiding going out as I was unable to lose postpartum weight. I have always been overweight and the additional postpartum weight made me feel depressed. And I could not even go on a diet as a lactating mother needs to have nutritious food. I was thinking of consulting a shrink to cope with postpartum depression but then I came across this weight loss programme, especially for cases like mine,” said Uzma.
“I was surprised that I could lose fat through weight training and other exercises despite eating nutritious food. And I was also surprised to see so many women, including the elderly ones, lifting weights. Initially, I could not believe that it is happening in Kashmir as I had always thought only young men go to the gyms for bodybuilding and weightlifting. I did not know that even mothers and elderly people can stay fit and toned through weight training,” she added.
Haider Baigh, a certified trainer, nutritionist, and owner of ‘Livefit’, said the gyms in Kashmir were adapting to the changing global trends. He said apart from the traditional weight training, they had started offering hitherto unheard fitness programmes like ‘Post Partum Weight Loss and PCOS Weight Management’ and ‘Zumba’ workouts while programmes like high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and ‘barbell complex’ were getting popular among people looking to lose fat.
“Lots of gyms have mushroomed of late and as a result, there is competition in the market. Apart from the youngsters interested in bodybuilding, we get male and female clients of all age groups. As a result, we offer packages tailor-made for each individual. We, at our ABC Fitness Hub, offer different packages like Post Partum Weight Loss and PCOS Weight Management, Bridal Fitness Plan, Fat to Fit, Personal Training, etc,” he said.
Haider said people interested in fat loss preferred programmes like ‘Barbell Complex’ and high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
“Barbell Complex and HIIT are preferred by those who want to lose fat. Schedules like HIIT not only help burn fat faster but also build muscles. Both men and women can go for HIIT. In case there are health issues, we have to be careful. A woman, who wants to get in shape after delivery, has to be careful and that is why we have a special Post Partum Weight Loss for them. Their diet has to be taken care of as they have to ensure fat loss and also make sure they get all the nutrients especially if they are lactating,” he said.
“After a delivery, abdominal muscles become stretched and weak and butt muscles also become inactivated, leading to the condition known as mom butt where the joints are looser, and not as robust as pre-pregnancy. Unfortunately, these things don’t fix themselves. Therefore, the Post Partum Fitness program has been created with the intent of helping mothers achieve results most safely,” Haider added.
