Woman who lost 89 kg shares why she still doesn't feel healthy: ‘Bloating, migraines, no periods in 6 months'

After losing 89 kg, a fitness influencer, Pranjal, reflects on her flawed goal of weight loss, now prioritising health over numbers on the scale.

Pranjal Pandey is a fitness and health influencer who often shares her insights on nutrition and tips from her own weight loss journey on Instagram. She lost approximately 89 kg; she went from weighing 154 kg to 65 kg. In a post shared on August 7, she showed off her transformation from the beginning to the end, and stressed that weight loss shouldn't be the only goal.

Journey from 154 kg to 65 kg

Talking about the problems that come with losing weight and body dysmorphia, Pranjal said, “How silly of me to forget how far I've come, just because I have farther to go.” She also posted pictures from each transformation milestone she hit during her journey: for instance, what she looked like at 154 kg, followed by 130, 123, 105, 98, 90, 80, 74, 67, and 65 kg. Here's a look at her transformation:

‘Lose weight. That was my end goal’

Pranjal also talked about how her goals were flawed, as she only focused on the number on the weighing scale, instead of her health: “Lose weight. That was my end goal. To see the smallest number possible on the scale. To be in the smallest body I could be. But that has changed somewhere along the way. Now, instead of chasing a lower number on the scale, I’m chasing health. The kind of health that allows me to move however I wish, eat whatever I want.”

Talking about the health issues that persisted when she weighed a lot, and even when she lost it all, Pranjal said, “Some days, I’m so glad that I’ve lost all this weight. That this is not the reason for my health issues anymore, that I can rule it out. Then other days I feel so down and hopeless. Like I won’t ever be issue-free, what’s the point?”

I’ve lost weight, but I am not healthy

The influencer added that even though she lost weight, she has always been unhealthy, with issues like headaches, migraine, stomach issues, PCOS, endometriosis and more. Most of her life, people made her believe that she had these health ailments because of her weight; however, now that she has lost weight, these issues still persist.

“Some days are okay, some days I’m in debilitating pain. Bloated, migraines, cramps. For no apparent reason. No periods for over 6 months now. This one bothers me a lot, as a regular cycle is a very prominent marker of a female’s health. I’ve lost weight, but I am not healthy. So now, I’m focusing on and choosing to be in a healthy body, not a smaller one,” Pranjal said.

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.