Audy Item's account of her struggle with obesity

Jakarta – Indonesian musician Audy Item has shared her personal experience in fighting obesity. After giving birth, Audy gained up to 30 kilograms and has been struggling to return to her ideal weight. ‘During pregnancy I gained about 30 kilos, it was a lot, and my child was large at birth. And I really struggled to get back to how I used to look,’ Audy said when she met the press in Jakarta on Wednesday. She said she did not realise she was obese and only discovered the health condition after seeing a doctor. Previously, Audy admitted she often experienced symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. ‘I felt fine, but there was fat accumulating. I only found out I was obese after the doctor checked everything and said ’oh you are obese at this level’,’ she added. Audy said she had tried various dieting methods and exercises based on information from the internet or friends’ recommendations. Although she briefly managed to lose weight quickly, the results did not last. ‘I followed everything, weight fell quickly but bounced back even quicker—three times as fast. I really got frustrated,’ she said. ‘In the past I tried exercising, but it didn’t feel right, I didn’t enjoy carrying my body. I only learned after meeting a doctor. Sometimes I stubbornly said ’I want to diet like so-and-so’. It turns out that might not be good for our bodies,’ she added. Audy said she is now bolder in speaking out about the issue because she realises obesity can raise the risk of other dangerous health problems. ‘I’m brave to speak out about obesity because obesity is a disease that can be said to be serious as it can lead to many other diseases,’ she said. She also stressed the importance of raising awareness about health, noting that problems like obesity cannot be faced alone. According to Audy, many foods and drinks nowadays are heavily processed, considered not good for the body’s condition. ‘We cannot rely only on what people say or what we see on the internet, which we may not know is true; it must be guided by an expert, namely a doctor,’ she said. The singer of ‘Cinta Dibalas Dusta’ said she has enjoyed exercising at a fitness centre for some time, where she can train two to three times a week. However, Audy emphasised that all kinds of exercise are basically good, but must be tailored to each individual’s condition and it is important to consult a doctor. ‘Because what is good for our bodies, only a doctor knows. We cannot do things carelessly because there are extreme workouts which, in turn, may be bad for the body or even cause illness,’ she added.