I was always a big kid - I’m an endomorph so it’s very easy for me to put on both weight and muscle. It started with my mother, who was obese during my childhood and fed both me and my brother just absolute crap. Then, I played water polo between the ages of 13 and 16 (sometimes we would train 4 hours a day) and my weight got stabilized as I was burning off all the excess calories I was putting into my body. However, at the age of 16, I quit water polo but did not restrict my calorie intake and that led to me balooning to 130kg (286lb). I finally had enough and started working out but even though I was doing it wrong I managed to get back to 87kg (191lb) within two years.
The I got married and also divorced: the divorce was really traumatic for me and I gained all the weight back and then some, reaching a peak of 155kg (341lb), which was two months ago.
I had had enough.
But this time, I would do it right. Therefore, here is a summary of what I learned during my last 11 years:
- State of Mind It is the first and most important step. I needed to realize that I do not need a weight loss journey but a lifestyle change. I restricted calories severely during my last weight loss but I did not change my lifestyle: therefore, I did lose the weight but I destroyed my physical health and I didn’t have anything to stop me from gaining the weight back when things got tough.
Personally, what worked for me was waking up at 4:30 AM every day. That allowed me to eliminate unhealthy habits such as watching too many shows or movies during the night and it made me realize that I am in control of my life.
Winning that first battle (against the soft sheets and fluffy pillow) sets the tone for my day: so I also make my bed, I also read a lot now, I clean my apartment much more frequently, I have clean, focused time for my startup company and all of this happens before 8 AM. Then, at 8 AM I usually go to the gym, have a killer 30-35 minute weights workout, go back, take a shower and then get to the office by 9:15 AM. By the time I get to the office I’ve already accomplished so much that I feel really good about myself and I am actually much more productive. And, if by any chance, I have a crappy day at work, I get to go home to a clean apartment and a bed that is made!
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Calories and meals Sugar is usually the enemy, not fats or carbs. Sugar doesn’t have nutritional value but it has a huge caloric density. Sugar will taste amazing, will give me a sugar rush but the body will realize that no nutrients have been absorbed so I would be hungry very soon after that. Cutting out sugars increases insulin sensitivity, allowing me to start burning stored fat instead and greatly reducing my appetite. This helps me a lot as I don’t snack anymore so it’s very easy to keep track of my calories without any apps (also, I can have one big meal a day, which happens frequently due to my frequent business travels, and still lose weight - my body works on totals, not meals at specific times; I regularly skip breakfast when I’m at home and have a nice dinner but I do the exact opposite when I’m traveling and eating at a hotel).
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Workout I used to play water polo and the first time I lost the weight I did it by mainly using the stationary bike. That did help me lose weight but even at 87kg (191lb) I still looked quite fat, despite being 5ft 9 (1.80m). That was because I overlooked weight training to build muscle. Now I am doing only weight training and I am doing it for several reasons:
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weight training (done properly) increases my testosterone levels greatly and that helps with building muscle, fat burn and libido. Cardio will only do that during a high intensity interval training but the level will be much lower
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I need to conserve my muscle mass or even increase it. More muscle means that more glycogen can be stored there (without it being turned to fat) and of course, I become stronger and healthier. Cardio will never do that: it will help me lose water weight instead, granted.
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Due to my extremely hectic schedule I cannot go to the gym more than 3 times per week. Therefore, I need to make those times really count and having a beastly 30-35 min workout will ensure that I will still burn calories 1, 2 or even 3 days after my workout is complete (as my body repairs the muscles I’ve damaged during the workout).
I’m not saying that cardio is bad, it’s really good and should not be disconsidered. What I am saying is that in my lifestyle high intensity weight training is the best solution for my goals (lose fat, maintain and increase muscle mass). I’m not going to lie, it’s a bitch to train like that and I don’t particularly enjoy sweating like a pig and being sore in different muscle groups pretty much all week long - having the right mentality will kick me out that door when I need to though.
- Fasting Even though I already restrict my calories I am also doing alternate day fasting (more recently I’ve actually switched to 36-hour fasts). Fasting has many benefits but for me, I needed to:
- help restrict my appetite
- reset taste buds (especially when it comes to sweets)
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increase mental clarity (I work in IT so my brain is my money-maker) Fasting is not for everyone but once I got the right mindset I was able to pull it off. Now, two months later, fasting is a normal part of my life and it’s very easy for me to accomplish it.
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Supplements I take an all-natural diet aid (aimed at cutting off the hunger feeling when I’m about to enter my fast period), vitamin C (just because it’s the colds season) and L-Glutamine to help with my workout recovery.
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Food I started cooking for myself so that I have more control over what I eat. I absolutely enjoy purchasing a fresh chicken breast and cooking it myself just one hour later: it tastes amazing. It was easy for me to switch to a healthy diet as I already enjoyed chicken, fish, beef and legumes. I am making sure that I include protein, fats and carbs with each meal but no sugar: that way I feel full quite fast and for a long time.
My goal is to get to 95kg (210lb) and two days ago I weighed in at 140.9 (310lb). That’s a loss of 14.1 kg (31lb) in two months, with the total fat lost being 18kg(40lb) - and 2 lb(1kg) of new muscle gained.
45kg (100lb) to go.
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