M/32/5'8" [290lbs > ~165lbs = -125 lbs] (2.7 years and going) The road hasn't always been easy, but it has always been worth it. 125lbs down, got into recovery (alcoholism), and am consistently pushing myself to be better today than I was yesterday :) (x post r/progresspics)

Before / After Photos: https://imgur.com/6nqwRzq (slightly NSFW, my shirt is up in the 'after' photo)

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TLDR: Calories in, calories out is the key to my successful weight loss journey. I log and weigh everything that goes into my body, even my cheat meals. MyFitnessPal is irreplaceable to my success

After 8+ years of being over 250 lbs, I decided it was time to get back into the shape that I was in my early 20's. While I have never been happier to be in the shape that I am in today, it was not an easy journey; though my success is based on a simple concept: Intake less than you output :)

I also think it is important to mention that I have a life in addition to the below! I have a SO, 3 kids, a full time career (that often requires me to travel), take vacations, moved across the country, and am a recovering addict (alcohol and marijuana). If I can do it, so can you! Often times my regimented diet/exercise has made my life easier by allowing an outlet for stress and creating consistency for me.

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Diet:

• I started off intaking 1750 calories (at 5'8" ~290lbs) for almost 6 months
  • The 1750 calories consisted off almost whatever food I wanted, though my focus has always been on eating at least 100g of protein daily
• Everything I eat gets logged to allow me to maintain the caloric deficit that I needed to lose the weight
  • Continuing my crappy eating has actually allowed me to be more successful long term than I ever was in the past
  • Instead of saying "no" to my favorite foods (pizza, wings, ice cream, tacos, etc.) I said "yes" to them in moderation
• I slowly increased my caloric intake over the next few months to allow my body time to get used to eating more, while minimizing the weight gain that inevitably happens when calories go up
  • 1750 calories: ~6 months
  • 1900 calories: ~3 months
  • 2000 calories: ~12 months
  • 2150 calories: ~9 months
  • 2400 calories: just changed this week, this is maintenance for me, so should be the next lifetime or so
• I always always kept the long game in mind
  • My diet wasn't perfect, no one's is!
  • The end game was always more about getting back on track after a binge, than it was about beating myself up over a bad day
• Specific diets are cool and have their purpose, but the most important thing to remember is calories in must be less than calories out! That's the key to success for any weight loss
• Speaking of specific diets, I am starting to now transition to a more paleo / keto based diet to help hone in my nutritional needs
  • I hate restriction on my food, so I am using them as a rough guideline vs. adhering 100% of the time

Exercise:

• I want to make one thing clear: For weight loss, diet is more important than exercise 100% of the time! I have had countless gaps of no exercise in which I kept my diet on point. Do not beat yourself up for not working out!
• I have found that I am unique in that I love to run! So I embraced that and used that as my primary source of physical activity during my weight loss
  • 2018 I ran my first ever half marathon (13.1 miles) and am continuing to race as a source of motivation for me
• I started by walking as far as my body could handle, which was usually less than a mile
• Again, as with anything in life, consistency is the key to success!
• I always celebrated my successes!
  • I remember the first time I was able to run a mile without stopping, my SO and I celebrated with cake! (I am still a fat guy at heart haha!)
• It seems too easy, but I really did just keep putting one foot in front of the other to push my distances further and further

Current Workout Plan:

• Running 3 days a week:
  • 2 days I run at least 5+ miles, totaling at least 10 miles per week
  • 1 day I run the hills around my house with the intent of pushing my pace uphill as fast as possible
• Yoga:
  • 5 days per week
  • I follow online videos (there's a really popular one I like that starts like "Yoga with A....", not trying to endorse any channel in particular though)
  • If you do one exercise only, I highly recommend it is yoga!
• Weight training:
  • 2 days per week
  • Primarily kettle bell and mobility based training to improve my running

I am happy to answer more questions or add detail if anyone would like more. My journey is never ending, I am joining jiu jitsu at some point in 2019 and want to run a triathlon before I am 35!

submitted by /u/Pants_trick
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