In India almost every 3rd girl is having a childhood dream of becoming model but soon as they grow older it changes to different direction due to the Indian society and huddles faced by the women.
But here is the story of a woman who actually started to work on this aim when she was overweight,married and even a mother.
She is Afreen Khan the self made entrepreneur running an IT company and recently won the pageant contest Mrs India Earth Face of South 2018.
Womenly team had a small interview with her :
Hi Afreen, please share quick highlights of your journey
I have come a Long way from being an overweight mother struggling with weight and self esteem issues to being a heavy lifter and inspiration for women who are scared to do strength and body weight workouts .I lost 15 kgs weight post partum just by strength training and a healthy diet .I made my own name from a 9 to 5 job and moving to running my own company only with my belief and determination.Today I have people applauding me for my physical strength and passion for fitness even after having a completely different profession.
That is wonderful ,so how you started your fitness journey ?
As a mother I faced a lot of flak from my own circle who mocked me for my weight issues saying I m going through a mid life crisis .I was losing my self Confidence and at the same time this wasn’t the person I wanted my daughter to watch and learn .I wanted to be a mother she’s proud of.From what started as a trial to lose weight ,gave me the joy nothing could.Weight lifting gave me a direction, a passion and a feeling that made me feel invincible.Today I do single arm push-ups ,clap push-ups which even men struggle to do .I have gained the respect of people who are professionals in this industry.
Absolutely amazing, so what changes you made in your lifestyle for such goal ?
I have always been a foodie and starving myself for being thin has never attracted me.So I did intense cardio in the beginning to lose weight but once I understood my body,I learnt that excessive cardio will give you weight loss but loose skin too.So I started maintaining a healthy protein rich diet consisting mainly of eggs and chicken accompanied by strength training.I started learning calisthenics and trying my hand and all workouts considered masculine.
Nice tip, i will take it ….So what was your biggest motivation through out this journey ?
In this whole journey my motivation was my results ,my mirror and my progress checks.Today I don’t need the motivation to stay fit it’s my lifestyle ,it’s as important as taking a bath or eating your breakfast.When I need inspiration I look back at where I started and how much I went through to push myself this far .Today my 5 year old tells me mom let’s workout because it’s so much fun.Thats what I preached and practised .
That is sweet , what about family ? how they responded to your aim ?
Actually this was made possible because I married a guy I knew who would always have my back no matter what .My husband has been there for me every step of the way ,he’s someone who has literally loved me in every shape and size without judging me .He is someone who has always believed in me more than I did in myself and he’s an inspiration to all the men around who ridicule their wives for their appearance.When I count my blessings I count him twice,he’s the perfect husband.
Aww very lucky you are 🙂 , so any final words for other women ?
This journey of mine from a mother to the face of south winner ,I have learnt that nobody can make you or break you ,you do that to yourself .Every failure teaches you something and makes you what you are.Age or marital status or parenting are not things to worry about ,they are things to cherish.
Nice thoughts, Thanks for your time Afreen, All the best for the future.
Your welcome and wish you the same.
