If your phone’s camera roll is currently holding 37 screenshots of ‘easy weight loss hacks‘ you know you’ll never actually try, take a deep breath and clear them all. Content creator Mallika Fatehpuria just posted a reality check that cuts straight through the endless noise about fitness. Also read | 7 weight loss myths busted by celebrity fitness trainer Tridev Pandey: ‘Never go for Ozempic…’
Dropping 35 kg — ‘from 90 kg down to 55 kg — isn’t just about changing numbers on the weighing scale; it’s a complete physical and mental overhaul, she highlighted. Mallika broke down 35 honest, relatable lessons she learned along the way in a September 2 Instagram post, which she captioned: “This has been sitting in my drafts for way too long.”
Here is her exact, unfiltered wisdom — on food, mindset, movement, and the social reality of impressive weight loss transformation.
Reinventing the relationship with food
Mallika kicked off her list by dismantling diet culture, making it clear that eating well shouldn’t feel like a punishment:
1. Healthy food does not have to be boring.
2. Almost any dish you love eating can be made into a lower-calorie version.
3. Learning to make the food you love work for you will change everything.
4. You can eat dessert every day and still lose weight.
5. Portion control will take you much further than deprivation ever will.
6. You need far less oil or butter to cook with than you think you do.
7. Measuring spoons and a food weighing scale will teach you more about food than most diet plans ever will.
8. There are lower-calorie swaps for almost everything in your pantry.
9. You probably only need 10–15 meals you genuinely love. Repeat. Rotate.
10. It’s not a diet. It’s your life. Build habits you can actually live with.
Understanding the science
Rather than falling for endless fitness trends, she spoke about basic nutritional literacy and consistency over guilt:
11. Learn to read a nutrition label. It’s one of the easiest ways to cut through the bullshit.
12. Just because something is healthy doesn’t mean it will help you lose fat.
13. If you want to lose weight, understand what a calorie deficit actually means.
14. Food does not need to be ‘good’ or ‘bad’.
15. There is no such thing as a cheat meal. Please enjoy the damn burger.
16. One meal will not undo months of work. Just like one salad will not get you to your goal weight.
17. You can start again at your very next meal. You don’t need to wait for Monday, the 1st or January 1. Also read | Mira Rajput interview: Why she doesn’t believe in ‘good’ or ‘bad’ food and swears by intuitive eating over strict diets
Navigating external opinions and internal reality
Changing your body inevitably changes how the world sees you, a dynamic Mallika addressed:
18. Everyone will have an opinion about what you should be doing. Listen. Then do what works for you.
19. Your friends and family won’t always understand your choices. Explain when you can. Stand your ground when you need to.
20. You will always be too fat or too thin for someone. There is no winning that game.
21. The goal was never to become small enough for everyone else. It was to become happy and healthy in my own body.
22. Losing weight is a physical transformation. But it is so much more than that.
23. Somewhere along the way, you change mentally, emotionally, spiritually and in ways you didn’t see coming.
Redefining fitness and consistency
Fitness isn’t always about social media aesthetics and high motivation; Mallika highlighted that most of the time, it’s just about showing up:
24. You won’t always feel motivated. That’s where discipline comes in.
25. And discipline doesn’t mean doing everything perfectly. Sometimes it just means showing up.
26. You don’t have to become someone who loves working out. Sometimes you do it because you know your body needs it.
27. Some movement is better than no movement.
28. And on the days you have no time for anything else, walk. Walking is wildly underrated.
29. You do not need a new workout outfit every week either. Three outfits will do just fine. Your favourite influencer will survive.
30. Invest in a trainer and nutritionist. They will teach you skills that will carry you through life.
31. Don’t throw away your XL clothes. One day you’ll be styling them for an ‘oversized’ fit.
The mindset
Ending on a deeply personal note, Mallika reflected on the self-perception and ‘pride’ that come from staying the course:
32. There will be days you don’t like what you see in the mirror.
33. There will also be days you love what you see.
34. You’ll feel unparalleled pride in yourself that nothing or no one can ever take away from you.
35. You’ll never be the same person again.
Mallika’s insights could serve as a blueprint for anyone looking to make sustainable lifestyle changes to shed extra weight without losing their sanity — or their love for good food — along the way.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
