[progress pics] 70 pounds lost in one year. I celebrated by achieving one of my life goals. I biked from the mountains to the cost. 450 miles in seven days.

Starting weight 266. Current weight 196. 5’8” male 31y

I am no expert on fitness, weight loss, nor am I a dietitian. What worked for me may not work for you. So this isnt a guide on how to lose it. This is just a telling of my journey.

I struggled for a decade with my weight. Starting and stopping all kinds of diets and techniques. I’d lose motivation and fall back into my bad habits. I then realized I was approaching the problem incorrectly. I changed my main goal from a number on a scale to simply living a healthy lifestyle. I have a goal weight of course but that isn’t my focus or my obsession.

I systematically uprooted bad habits and replaced with good ones. The very first thing I changed was my sleep. I went to bed two hours earlier and got up one hour earlier. I reduced, then eliminated caffeine consumption after noon and reduced the amount of time looking at screens before bed time. I turned this into a routine. This gave me a larger well of energy and will power to draw from.

The next habit I changed was instead of watching the same shows on Netflix and playing League of Legends (quitting that game was the best decision of my life) over and over I started walking and listening to podcasts. Everyday. And it turns out I enjoy it a lot.

I then reduced my food portion size by about half. It was tough at first but after about 4 weeks my cravings for more food significantly diminished.

Next I focused more on what I ate. I significantly reduce my processed sugar intake. My weight started falling off once I made this a habit. I replaced sodas with seltzer water, junk food with fruit and nuts, and I made it a point to eat green vegetables.

Finally I upped my cardio and resistance training. I hit the weights and started running. I then remembered running is the worst so I started cycling. I enjoyed cycling so much it has really become a passion of mine and something I made part of my identity. I recently did a community bike ride from the mountains to the coast 450 miles in 7 days. Best week of my life and physically the hardest thing I’d ever accomplished.

The hardest part for me was finding what works and sticking to it. I had a lot of ups and downs and when I plateaued, I gave myself two weeks to see change. I’d tell myself if I’m honest about my caloric intake and maintain a deficit, physics promises weight loss. And everyday I’m still on my journey. And no matter where you are at on your journey, I encourage you to enjoy it where you are at.

Before/After

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