It was 2017. I was consulting Dr Sukhpreet Patel for  PCOS and related problems — painful periods and no weight loss, despite exercising regularly. At her clinic, Vita, she thought it best that I discuss my lifestyle choices with Puru.

I clearly remember this meeting, because this was when I first heard the terms ‘intermittent fasting’ and ‘eating window’, and began to explore the concept of fasting beyond the basic and theoretical. Motivated by my initial curiosity and Puru’s sense of purpose, I decided to give it a shot — consciously change my eating habits, for a better me.

Puru steered me toward healthier eating choices and emphasised that making important changes to my lifestyle was the key to tackling PCOS and building enduring fitness.

I was hooked. I began to practice intermittent fasting, that is time-restricted fasting, or eating in a daily window, during specific hours in every 24-hour cycle. I embraced the idea of maintaining an excel sheet of the foods and drinks I consumed and I continued to exercise as well. As my body and mind adjusted to this disciplined lifestyle, I began to see results.

Slowly and steadily, as the months passed, my eating window narrowed. I understood that the foods I put in my body impacted my weight and also how I felt. I realised I was a stress eater, and it that was something I hadn’t paid attention to previously.

From noting down my steps per day to tweaking my grocery shopping list, I have Puru to thank. I got to a point when my menstruation cycle began to arrive precisely on time, so much so that I no longer needed an app to track or predict my cycle. I felt freer than I ever had as an adult, more in tune with my body than ever before.

Just spending five minutes a day on the online log ensured that I swapped that chocolate mousse for dates and nuts. The happiness scale on the online log made me aware of how I was actually feeling, the salad as well as water intake more mindful of my consumption choices.

We don’t live in the same city or country most of the time but speaking to Puru on a regular basis motivated me further, and made me realise I could relish my food — and it didn’t always have to be a slice of chocolate cake.

Puru was the coach I needed, giving results that I and Dr Sukhpreet wanted! He’s the one who egged me on and helped me improve my lifestyle and consequently my body. Today I am a mother and, especially for the sake of my growing child, I hope to stay a committed student!

Devika Srivastava
Creative Director, Mom, Foodie