NEW YORK COUPLE SHARE THEIR WEIGHTLOSS JOURNEY TO INSPIRE OTHERS

Colin and Angie Raja, cofounders of RIMSports, had a tough time juggling their growing business and healthy lifestyle, and wanted desperately to start their weightloss journey.

“There were times that we were so busy we would order takeout at 1 am in the morning” says Angie, “this eventually became a daily ritual.”

The couple’s unhealthy eating habits contributed to a combined weight gain of over 75 lbs and created a strain in their relationship.

Colin, a boxing medalist, was especially affected by the increasing weight gain. “I felt like a failure. I had been a boxer all my life and knew what I should be eating and how I needed to exercise – here I was building a fitness brand and I couldn’t even get fit myself.”

In the beginning of 2019, the couple decided that they needed to make a change or their health and business would suffer, “I wanted to create a better life for my future generations,” said Colin “but, I needed to be around to make that happen.”

The first step the couple took was a week of detoxing. “We would juice celery and lime and drink a cup of this on an empty stomach every morning,” Angie says. Celery helps to reduce inflammation and aids in digestion while the lime undercuts the strong taste of the celery.

After that, the couple wanted to slowly ease into their weight loss journey. “If I were to quit food cold turkey, the consequences would prove detrimental to everyone within a 10-mile radius” Angie joked.

The Rajas adopted a method known as calorie deficit weight loss. If you eat excess calories, you will gain weight – conversely, if you decrease your caloric intake, you will lose weight and to make up for the deficit, your body will burn fat.

“We started with what we call the burger diet,” Colin said, “we ate two Whoppers from Burger King a day without ketchup or cheese, along with two to three milkshakes a day." The burger diet helped the couple stay in a calorie deficit. "Our method may not be right for everyone,” Colin reinforced, “but we needed a way to kickstart our weightloss journey so that we could gain momentum.” Angie "Our taste buds were super happy," Angie added, "I wish I could eat this way for the rest of my life, but ultimately, it's not healthy - we just needed a jumpstart." The couple also started going back to the gym after a one-year hiatus and subscribed to a meal prep company so that they could focus on getting in quality amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fats.

Once they recovered their drive, Angie and Colin amplified their weight loss journey by adding a rigorous fitness workout into their daily routine. They made sure to document their progress in a fitness journal and 90-day fitness calendar. They also maintained a calorie deficit and reduced their carbohydrate intake.

The couple trained 4-6 hours a day for 3 months; Angie learned Muay Thai, while Colin followed a combination of boxing and boot camp. “The experience was definitely life-changing. I’ve always liked combat sports but I could see my strength and endurance improving. Before I would be huffing and puffing on a 2-3 minute run on the treadmill, now I can easily do 15-20 minutes without stopping.”

As for the couple’s future plans, “we are currently maintaining our weight and will be starting strength and conditioning training, along with Cross Fit, in February,” said Colin, “this is just the beginning for us.”

The couple lost a combined 70lbs and continue to practice calorie deficit eating. “Our goal was not just to become a better version of ourselves for ourselves, but to show others that they can become healthy too - all it takes is a starting point, consistency and dedication,” Colin reflected, “I’m not saying it’s easy but, it can be done – we are living proof.”

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