Deepshikha lost 29 lbs. using Spice Yourself Skinny!

Hi, this is Nagina Abdullah, and I'm so excited to bring you a conversation with one of my past Spice Yourself Skinny graduates. And I'm just going to have her jump in and introduce herself, tell us how much weight she lost from the eight week Spice Yourself Skinny program. Deepshika, please introduce yourself. Let us know about your results and you know and what you've lost since the program as well.

Sure. Hi, Nagina. Hi, everyone. I am deepshikha. I have two kids and everybody knows life with two kids is so hard. I lost 16 pounds on the program, on the challenge, and then I went on and lost another five pounds. So I lost 22 pounds. And I have to be honest, I wasn't even trying to lose the last two pounds. And I am two sizes down, two dress sizes down, and I think I lost almost three inches of my waist. So I feel great. I feel amazing and I love it.

Oh, my gosh. Congratulations, Deepshikha. That is just such a huge amount. 22 pounds. And so I showed you your before and after picture, and when I saw it, I was totally surprised. I was so happy to see that before and after. Tell me what you thought when you saw the before and after picture. What did you think when you saw yourself?

Well, I have to be honest with you, back when I had those £20 on me, I didn't like taking my pictures. I would take my picture and then I would delete it. But that picture was special because it was for my older son's birthday, which was back in February this year. And the second picture that you can see is for my younger son's birthday. So between that and then, I had this goal that I had to lose this weight for my youngest son's birthday. And it's very interesting. I'm going to keep that picture for my life because I can totally see the transformation. And I couldn't believe it. I did not believe it that I had that much weight on me. I mean, I know that I've lost weight, but when I see the pictures, the transformation is just amazing.

Oh, my gosh. Yes. And it's like when I look at it, your face is like half the size of what it was before. And when you are losing the weight, sometimes you don't see it coming off, but when you don't see those little tiny changes, but you see the before and after. And I think it was six months between the two pictures. It's like complete transformation. That was just. Oh, my God. So amazing. Now tell me a little bit about. I thought this was so great how you wanted to wear a certain dress for your son's first birthday, like when he turned one. So tell me about, like, what you were thinking and what happened before your son's first birthday or second son's first birthday.

Well, you know, so I remember having a conversation with you. I think, I don't know at what kind of time it was. And I remember telling you, you asked me, what is your goal? Till when do you want to lose that weight? And I said, by about my second son's first birthday, I should be able to lose that weight, because I knew we were planning a trip. And you said, I remember you saying that. Okay, think about how would you feel if you do not lose that weight? And that has always struck with me all through those three, four months that I was trying to lose weight and I was at a mall and I saw this dress. It was a beautiful color. I fell in love with it. I crossed by it and I said, I'm never gonna be able to wear it. I don't know when will I be able to wear it? And then I had lost some weight, and I went there the second time and I saw it and I said, I'm gonna get it. I'm definitely gonna get it. I wore it. It was fitting me, but it wasn't, you know, there was still something sticking out. And. And then I got it and I said, I have to wear it for my son's birthday. And those were the last three weeks that I had where I had to lose at least five to six pounds. And I did it. I was committed to it. So that was my goal that I have to wear that I have to be able to fit into that dress. And not only that, I have to rock it. Like, I have to really look good at it.

Yes. And you so rocked it. And you were on, like, you were on vacation in the Caribbean when you wore that, right?

Yes, I was.

Yes. And you felt like, how did you feel being able to wear such a sexy dress? Like, feel amazing about yourself and then. And then also be a mom? Like, how did it feel to be able to do that?

Amazing. I feel amazing. I have so much more energy now. I can play with my kids. I can run errands all day. I have just so much energy. I'm not really tired all day. You won't believe that, but I haven't slept in five nights because my baby is getting up every night. And I was at a girls night out two days ago, and I was really, really tired. And I told this to Another mom. And she said, I wouldn't believe that for a second that you haven't slept in three nights. You look so put together. You look so great. And I said, thank you. It's just because I just eat healthy. I just eat things that make me feel good.

Yes. Oh, my God, that is. I love that. And, like, I feel like as a mom, I mean, and I have two kids, too, so as a mom, sometimes we feel like we have to accept that we don't have energy and to accept being tired all the time. Like, sometimes there's this stereotype of when you're a mom, you're just tired and you're disheveled and there's just so much to do and you can't take care of yourself or it's just so hard. But I mean, from what you've done, you totally disprove that. Like, you can fit yourself in and also take care of your kids and be this mom that's totally put together. Like, it's possible to be a fit mom that looks like she's together and actually is. Is together. So, yes, I love crushing that stereotype. Like, you don't have to be a tired mom. You can be a stylish mom. You know, you can be someone that looks great.

Yes, I totally agree. Yeah.

Good, good, good. Okay, good. So, Deepshika, I want to ask you, like, what was the. Do you remember the moment you decided to join Spice Yourself Skinny? Like, what was happening in your life at that point where you decided that you needed to take some action and get some. Get a little bit of help from someone else to lose the weight? Like, what was happening around?

Sure. Well, I wasn't really trying to lose weight because I had no time to lose weight. I was so tired all the time, and I did not have time to exercise. I did not have time to eat. I was eating junk all day. And I know you have seen your weight loss journey, and I have seen you transform through the years. And I remember you were having the spice trivia challenge back then. I think it was April, sometime like mid April or beginning of April. And, you know, I dialed in. I listened to you talk about different spices. I love food. I love spicy food. I did not have time to exercise, and I thought, I have nothing to lose. Let me just try it. Let me just try adding a little bit of cinnamon in my coffee or make the fire tea or drink the skinny water. And I did that. I tried to do that. And I tried to be a little mindful of what I was eating. And the next thing I knew, I had lost four pounds already. I don't really remember exactly what was the timeframe, but between April, beginning of April, and the end of April, I had lost four pounds. And it was easy. I wasn't really trying to do anything great. I wasn't working out at the gym, I wasn't sweating my butt off. So that's the point that I decided that I do need outside help. This works. This clearly works. So I should be joining the challenge.

Oh, good. And that is just so great. Like, you just took a plunge right away in the challenge. You lost weight and then you just kept going with it. That is so. I mean, that is so great. And like, the challenge was so fun. We were just making different. Just adding a spice here, adding a spice there. But when you start integrating things like flavored infused water, like a little bit of spice in your smoothies, some cinnamon in your coffee, things like that, things start really changing because you are, you are, you're enjoying what you're eating, you're loving the food. And actually, it does have weight loss benefits when you're adding those things to your food. So, I mean, it just starts happening. So I'm glad you got to see that right away. So now, Deepshika, one thing I thought was so great was that in Spice Yourself Skinny, you were super involved. We had a Facebook group, we had a community where we would host how we're doing, post how we're feeling, post the recipes we like, post the recipes that we didn't like, and all of those things. Tell me, what do you think? Like, why did Spice Yourself Skinny help you lose the 16 pounds and then later on, you know, 22 pounds? What is it about this program that you hadn't like, that you hadn't done before something? How did you lose so much weight in this time? What worked for you?

I think the Spicer Yourself Skinny, worked for me because I didn't have to think. I'm going to tell you one incident, and that was probably the lowest point after having my second kid. My son was. My youngest son was sick. My older one was at school. I'd been up all night. He was cranky. I had just a cup of coffee till 3pm I was starving. I was hangry. I was so, so starving. And my son came home and I had no time to cook anything. And I opened his lunch and there was like one and a half chicken nugget in it that he had left. And I ate that. It was horrible. It was. It tasted horrible. I felt Horrible. And I thought to myself, what am I doing? You know, If I can't take care of myself, I can't take care of my kids. And that's why I, like, fight yourself, Skinny. Because I had my meal plans in front of me. I had my grocery list. I didn't have to think. I didn't have to put my mind to it. If I wake up, what do I have to make for breakfast? What do I make for lunch? And I had these amazing group of women, like you mentioned, who were cheering each other on. We were sharing tips on how to prep, on how to, you know, be more mindful of what you're eating, if you're traveling. And above all, we had you, and you were there all throughout. You were guiding us. And you had already helped a lot of women lose weight, and I think that was easy. I didn't think it was difficult for me to lose weight at that.

Oh, my God. I love that. Oh, my gosh. And then what about the food? Like, tell me, did you enjoy the food? Like. Like, do you. Is it something that you felt like could be a part of your life? And did your. Did your husband also eat the food with you?

Well, yes, absolutely. I love the food. So I'm Indian. I love my spices. We love flavorful food. I think the best part of spicy yourself skinny and why it works and why it definitely worked for me was that I didn't feel I was on a diet. I didn't even feel I was trying to lose weight. It was like a Friday night. Every day. We were trying different cuisines. The food was flavorful, and, you know, I liked that I could make one thing. My husband is a vegetarian. I could make one thing and then add veggies for him and add a little bit of chicken or fish for myself. And he loved the food, too, and we were both enjoying it. It was great. I really like the food, and that's why I think it's a part of my life now, because I have these recipes in front of me, which I can make anytime. And I have to be honest, I also serve my guests, and everybody's been asking me about those recipes for me.

That's so good. It's like, it can be a part of your life. That's the thing. Sometimes we have this feeling that a diet has to be something where we go sit in a corner and eat by ourselves and eat this food that nobody else would want to eat, but we have to work so, so hard to lose the weight. But if you add spices, you add Flavors, you get the benefits of weight loss. And everybody loves the taste. And it's true. It really does. Like, I'm so happy you serve it to guests, because I'm so amazed. Like, sometimes it just. I feel like it can taste like gourmet food with all the blends of spices, and it's not hard to make. It's just adding the different spices. That's it. Just knowing what to add.

So, yeah, something so on Facebook, I know this person, and she did. She herself did a challenge that she was trying to eat healthy. And she would post her dinner every day just to stay on track, just to, you know, so that people can.

See what she was eating.

And people would comment on it, and she would post pictures of, like, you know, salad and just like, this much protein and, you know, this much food and, like, with just salt and pepper. What is she eating? What are you eating? And, you know, I'm not that close to her that I could tell her personally, but I always felt like saying to her, what are you eating? You know, do you know that you can eat something else and still be healthy?

Yes. Oh, my God. It's true. It's like, we don't have to only eat kind of like chicken and steamed broccoli every single day. Or salad. I mean, I have some salads in Spice Yourself Skinny, but they're always kind of like more exciting salads. And it's not the only thing. I mean, I could not live off of salad only. I would just dive boredom.

So, yeah.

Yeah. So, okay, so that is. Oh, my God, that's so funny. So, okay, so tell me a little bit about, like, do you only eat healthy food or do you not? Like, do you also have times where you are not eating healthy food? Like, how. And since the program has ended, like, how have you made this part of your life? Like, what have you done to make it realistic for you?

Well, I have to say that the incident that I was saying that was the lowest point. When I ate my son's one and a half chicken nugget, I realized that I not only to lose weight, but I need to live a healthy lifestyle too. It's not good for my health going forward. So I definitely learned from the program. I have these foods that I have incorporated into my lifestyle. I didn't eat fish before I do now. I didn't eat so many vegetables before I do now. So I've just made it a habit. It's just a part of my life. I cannot make a smoothie without adding cinnamon or kale in it. I cannot not have chicken or fish with all the spices and at the same time, adding a lot of vegetables in it. So it's definitely helped me be a part of my life. But at the same time, I love my unhealthy food, too, at times, and I do eat it. And I feel like, like I said, it's so easy. The weight and the fat just melted off. You know, it was so easy to lose weight. Monday, I would be, let's say, £1 or £2 higher, and by Friday, I would have lost those pounds, and it was just. It was just disappearing. So I feel like that now that I've lost all the weight, I do deviate a little bit. I do eat unhealthy. Sometimes we go out and eat, but I can always come back and the next week, if I can be a little mindful and go back to the recipes and just innovate a little bit myself by adding all the spices, I lose that cheat meal weight right away.

Yes. Okay, good. I'm so glad. It's like, we have to have some chocolate. We have to have some cake. There's no way you can just not have it. And if you do eat it, I mean, you don't want to see the weight coming right back on. And if you have a way that you can incorporate those things. And one of the things in Spice Yourself Skinny that is really important that I always advocate is having a cheat day. Every week, you have to have that cheat day and get your cravings out. Because when you do that, you're not spending the rest of the week trying to pick here and there or sneaking food. You know that you have a full day to eat whatever you want, whether it's cupcakes or donuts or chocolate or anything. And I love that you are also still incorporating that, because it doesn't have to be all or nothing. You don't have to be completely healthy or completely unhealthy. You can have a blend of both and then integrate the unhealthy whenever you're out or when it's a special time or maybe a Friday night, a Saturday night. All those things. You should still have it. So good, good, good. Okay, one final question. Deepshika, tell me, from doing Spice Yourself Skiing, what is the thing that surprised you the most about Spice Yourself Skiing? What was the thing that surprised you about how you lost the weight in the program?

I think one of the things that surprised me was that it was so easy. I was losing weight and enjoying my food, and I was eating Flavorful food. I never thought so six months ago, if someone would have told me at my son's birthday party, my oldest son's birthday party, that, you know what, you can lose all this weight by just eating, like purely on eating and not exercising, I would have definitely laughed at their face because I did not believe it. I believe that you have to be working out five or six days a week, one hour at least, to be losing all that weight. And yes, you can diet and you can eat salads and you can, you know, try to reduce your carbs and that's how you will lose all the weight. But it's not like that. It's. And you know, when people say. When you say that it's 80% what you eat, it is absolutely right. Because I did not exercise till I had reached. Just till I reached £16 or £17. I started working out then, and I think that helped me to tone up a little bit. But the maximum weight that I lost was during Spice Yourself Skinny. So it was easy. That's what surprised me. And the first food was really good. The food was flavorful. So I never. I never felt like I was on a diet. I never felt like I was trying to lose weight. I was enjoying it. There were new recipes. I was making them, and I was enjoying the time with my family. Like I said, it was like eating out every day. And I did mention that in the program as well.

Yes. Oh, my gosh. Yes, yes, yes. You told me sometimes when you go to eat out, you would think you can't wait to come home and come back to your own food because it was like you actually started looking forward to your own food more than eating out. That was so funny. Oh, my gosh. Well, Deepshikha, thanks so much for sharing all of your insights about Spice Yourself Skinny. And your weight loss is incredible. I just think it's so amazing. Like, you really have to be proud of yourself, how you followed the plan, you stuck to it, you still had fun, you still ate other things, but you stayed focused. And then you lost the weight and then you kept losing the weight. And so it just goes to show, like, it is absolutely possible to lose.

Weight by eating food.

And it's possible to love what you're eating when you're losing weight. So, yes. Thank you so much. Thanks for spending your time here. I so appreciate it.