In 2021, Ashanthi Nandika began trying fad diets and exercise programmes to try to get into better shape, as she worried about the health problems she might face as she got older.
Then 33 years old, the business manager of a food and beverage chain weighed 95kg (209 pounds) – which is considered obese for a woman who is 165cm (5 feet 5 inches) tall.
“Unfortunately, the results of these efforts were always short-lived. I’d lose some weight in the beginning but gain it all back a few weeks later. It was disheartening.
“I was also frustrated with the fact that many of the diets I tried eliminated rice. Being from Sri Lanka, where rice is the basis of most of our meals, I found these diets restrictive. And, as someone who enjoys dining out a few times a week, I felt that they were difficult to follow.”
Nandika needed a permanent solution to losing weight. Her husband was hospitalised for a medical condition and his doctor told the couple that they both risked developing serious chronic illnesses in the future unless they trimmed down and got serious about their diet and exercise habits.