Before and after... 215lbs - 160lbs
Recent shirtless cosplay photo shoot. 160 lbs.
I have been following this subreddit since I started on reddit and the stories and posts through the years have really resonated with me. Clearly, the "before" was some time ago, as made evident by the potato pixel quality, but it still gets the point across. Here's the story.
Several years ago I was in a poor place mentally and physically. After high school, I let myself go in more ways than just my diet. I didn't care about much and I was just sort of cruising through life aimlessly. At my peak, I weighed 225lbs in my mid 20s (5'9"). That was quite a lot higher than the weight I was used to walking around at. In the "before" picture you see here, I was already down to about 215 lbs, but I knew I had to make some changes. Something just clicked in me one day. I felt poorly about myself. I decided to try to make a difference and, honestly, I did. I forced myself to become active. Eat reletavely better. Care.
Eventually I lost that momentum and sort of flattened out. Stayed in a neutral state. Not strictly unhealthy but definitely not in shape. Just sort of floundering. I'd say I would hover in the 185-190 lbs range for a few years. Then, last year, I had another moment of massive inspiration and I wanted that feeling of change again. I wanted to see what I could do. How hard I could push. What I could learn? I wanted to way to generate motivation rather than waiting for it to magically hit me.
I started hitting the gym regularly. I signed up for a trainer so that I could learn, but also so I would have accountability. I became very good friends with my trainer. I stayed with him for quite some time. We eventually stopped working as trainer and client and started just working out as gym buddies. I have become enamored with the gym and with fitness and I plan on not only continuing, but actively trying to help others find this mindset. Currently I am at 160 lbs and I am the healthiest I have ever been. Weight isn't important but I like to provide a tangible reference. I have learned a few things that helped me stick to it that I thought I'd share with you all in case it is something you were looking to hear yourselves.
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You have to be consistent - Consistency is key. I think 3 days a week for about 45-min to an hour is realistic to make a change. It's a start. It's relatively easy to do. You don't have to work out for long if you work out right. I notice a lot of people (myself included) would lose motivation if a day is missed. You don't lose weight overnight, right? Well you also don't gain it overnight. Just course correct and don't be too hard on yourself. Get up and go back to it. You don't lose progress after a day or 2. I now go about 5 days a week but I built up to that and I only do it because it's a lot of fun for me.
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Make it a hobby, not a job - The number one thing I hear and thought was "its like another job you have to take seriously" and personally I don't subscribe to that anymore. I think it should be your release. It should be fun. It should be something you look forward to doing, even though it's difficult. I would use the gym as my escape from the rest of my responsibilities. Let my mind focus on the exercise and have fun learning to control my body. Enjoy improving rather than fear the struggle of growth. No one wants to work another job, so don't view it as one. Think of it as an extracurricular. It's you game night. It's your podcast hour. It's play time.
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Diet sucks - You gotta eat better. That's just part of the deal. Self control is tough but you don't have to kill yourself to eat right. Start with calories in and calories out. Learn about what you're eating. Try to mix it up. Honestly, I didn't do anything special in this department and it took me a LONG time to cut out fast food to any significant degree, but I didn't eliminate it entirely. I was just far more conscious of what I put in my body, and that is true even now. I would start to eventually literally feel how the foods would slow down my mind and my progress and lessen those, while seeking out healthier options that I enjoyed. It's not a sprint, it's a marathon. Take your time and learn. Train your metabolism.
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The physical part was the bonus - I don't know why weight loss ads don't focus on this more. The mental clarity and sharpness that I've gained through this experience is BY FAR the best part. I feel better physically and that makes me more confident and active, of course, but there is SOOOO much more. I wake up crisper. Ready to go. I can focus on tasks so much more efficiently. Dedicating myself to things that require focus and effort are far easier because if you can get a grip on fitness, then you can handle anything. I feel more in control of my life. I want to get up and go because I've become so much better at time management and I have the physical energy to execute my goals. My memory is better too. The chemical release is also a huge help. I'm less stressed overall, I get sick less, and I always have something to look forward to. I can't stress this part enough.
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Personal point of pride - After seeing results, I simply didn't want to lose traction. I wasn't going to the gym to "make gains" anymore. I was going simply because I felt better when I went. I was proud of myself and I realized I wasn't very proud of much I had accomplished before. What this did for my sense of self love was gigantic. I had accomplished this on my own. I did it. I did something. I didn't want to stop because I knew I owed my new lifestyle to the discipline I had achieved. Sure, my fat shadow and body dysmorphia are still present to some degree but they no longer dictate how I feel. It gets better, I PROMISE.
Anyway, I hope this helps inspire some of you who struggle with the perceived rigidity of the process. I can provide more progress pics of the in between if you're curious since I really only started being serious about a year and some change ago. I'm open to questions and also advice, if you'e got it. I love this new self and this community has always been in the background keeping me going. So thanks for that. I'm proud of everyone here and I'm glad we can all be here to help each other. GO GET IT.
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