In June 2013, I downloaded MyFitnessPal for the first time. It asked me for my goal weight - I had no idea what I even weighed at the time (I guessed 230 lbs, turns out I was 280), but I thought to myself, “I think it would be nice to be about 160”, so I entered that. Fast forward almost 7 years later, and I hit my goal weight today! And you know what, it is pretty nice to be 160!
It’s been a long road, and it's not over. For one, I’ve moved the goal post. My next goal is to get to a healthy BMI at 145 lbs (I’m 5’4”), and I believe my UGW is 130 lbs. I’ve always been overweight/obese, so I’m not sure where I’ll feel my best - I’m willing to change the goal again as I continue this journey (up or down).
Progress Pics: https://imgur.com/a/U2r4URV
This sub has been incredibly inspirational to me, so wanted to share some details on my story in case it helps anyone with their journey. Feel free to ask me anything - I’m pretty much an open book about my weight loss.
2013 - First time losing weight:
I lost about 60lbs from June 2013 to May 2014. I did it with CICO - stuck to 1,200-1,400 calories/day, didn’t do any meaningful exercise. I cut out alcohol completely, but frequently saved hundreds of calories per day for desserts. Was it the healthiest option? Probably not, but it kept me on my plan.
2014-2018:
That summer I started a full time MBA program in a new city. It was an incredible experience, probably the best 2 years of my life, but alcohol fueled parties were almost a nightly occurrence, and I didn’t want to miss out on experiences. All in all, I did okay during school - maintained the majority of the loss. I told myself I could get right back at it when school was over. But restarting is hard. I had a stressful job - working long hours, feeling insecure, you name it. I wasn’t brave enough to get on the scales, but over the next two years I know I gained almost all the weight back.
Finally, my sister - who has always been thin - offered to count calories with me for ~6 weeks leading up to a vacation we had planned. We agreed to start May 1, 2018. It turns out all I needed was a committed start date - 2 years later I’m still going strong on the CICO train!
2018-Present:
I restarted my weight loss journey with what I knew - counting calories. But this time, I also spent the first couple weeks reflecting on what had led me to regain the weight. My conclusion was that my method in 2013 was just not sustainable - I was going to have to do something differently. I needed to be able to have the occasional alcoholic drink. I needed to be able to dine out with friends without derailing all my progress.
I decided to do two things differently:
- Cut out sugar - I was a sugar addict. Decided to eliminate all added sugar from my diet including artificial sweeteners. I still eat fruit, but was cautious about the quantity, especially in the beginning. It’s amazing how much sweeter other food tastes when you’re not eating added sugar. I literally think celery tastes a bit sweet.
- Be more active - I started just by walking home from work every day instead of taking public transit (~3 miles). Then I got a fitbit, and decided to set an audacious goal for myself - 20K steps a day.
When it started to get colder, I joined a gym for the first time. This was a game-changer for me. I started working with a personal trainer. Strength training makes me feel strong and confident. I discovered that I love powerlifting and I’m surprised to find that I love running. I’ve recently decided that whenever this lockdown ends, I’m going to run a half marathon.
My routine - by the numbers:
- Nutrition targets:
- 1,600-1800 calories a day (TBH, almost always 1,800)
- 100g protein minimum, usually closer to 130g
- 25g of fiber minimum
- I’ve recently started tracking fat as well, targeting 50g/day
- Fitness
- 20K steps/day. I relax that to 15K/day on strength training days.
- Strength training Monday/Wednesday/Friday. Mondays with my trainer - always the best workout of the week
- Running Tuesday/Thursday and at least one weekend day depending on the weather. Typical run ~4.5 miles.
I hit my goal of losing 100lbs about a year ago, so I’ve only lost 20 lbs in the last year. There are times when this feels slow, but I try to keep reminding myself that tons of people would kill to maintain a 100 lbs weight loss for a year OR to lose 20 lbs in a year, let alone do both. This really is a lifestyle change for me. I love being active! And being active has taught me to think about food as a way of fueling my body. I know that when I’m eating right, I feel better and can do more in my workouts. I’m looking forward to having a little more flexibility in my calories once I hit my ultimate goal, but I also feel like I could keep doing what I’m doing for a long time.
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