Greetings, fellow warriors! Been a lurker for a year or so here but never took my health seriously until February 2020. I'll just lay out the stats and progress pic first for those who don't want to read the full story, although I do plead that if you're finding it difficult to lose weight/unsure of how to start, you give this a read. I am honestly in a state of general happiness mixed with a bit of disbelief as to my current status, compared to where I was just a few months ago.
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Starting Weight: ~125KG/275lb
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Goal Weight: ~80kg/176lb
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Current Weight: ~110kg/242lb
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Progress picture: https://imgur.com/a/PAEK52J
Context:
I was one of those people that never took health too seriously (or at all), be it physical or mental. In Feb 2020, I was 125kg, at my lowest point. I used to chug half liter bottles of soda every few days, order burgers late at night, and throw all caution to the wind because I used to tell myself I'm more active than a lot of people (which was partially true considering my work as a freelance wildlife guide and camp coordinator then). And then my body couldn't take it anymore. Random chest pains, elevated heart rate, a general difficulty in doing things compared to other people my age. Along with my already screwed up mental health, I had this to take care of. Great. Physical checkups weren't too positive: I was at massive risk for hypertension and was also prescribed meds for a month. The doctor gave me an ultimatum: Lose weight now, or continue these meds for the rest of your life.
The journey:
And so began what seemed would be a grueling journey towards weight loss. Like the majority of us, I was filled with self doubt and negativity, thinking I'd never be able to lose weight in time to "get rid" of the hypertension. But finding r/loseit opened up a new world to me. I started begrudgingly logging calories on MyFitnessPal. Walking a kilometer every day, then 2, then 5. Reading nutrition labels. Understanding the science of a calorie deficit diet (as opposed to intermittent fasting, which didn't seem as elegant to me personally).
And that brings us to today, where I've finally moved down a shirt size, I shockingly look like a new person, I've been eating wiser, but also eating the things I love and not really compromising on that front. Never in a million years did I think that I'd lose weight, let alone this much, and look better for it. What I've learnt, and what I hope will inspire my fellow weight loss enthus, is that it eventually becomes a part of your life, which it should. And as long as you make wise choices, you don't have to really compromise on what you eat or how active you are. Below are a few things I've learnt:
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Commitment is not easy. But it gets easier, if that makes sense. The urge to get back to snacking, the urge to go back to sleep instead of going on that walk, all of it takes willpower to overcome.
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LOG. EVERYTHING. The part I hated the most, but now I do without fail, every single day. Log every single bite you take, if you can. You really, really realize how much you eat, and where you can cut back. I cut down on processed snacks and soft drinks entirely.
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Find substitutes to snacking: Your average packet of chips contains 500 calories. Find something else that's more filling at 500 calories. My go to became mixed sprouts with spices and a few veggies. Perfect for meals or for snacking.
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It's okay to fail. But you have to learn to get back up. That is the only way you can overcome this. Some days you can't overcome it, and that's fine, but you have to remind yourself of why you're doing this, and I promise you, the end result WILL be worth it.
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Don't push yourself. Be it exercise or diet, just stick to a plan, don't starve or overwork yourself, and slowly get better at both. Make gradual, long lasting changes instead of superficial changes. Learn to love your body, understand its limits over time, and treat it with the respect and care it deserves!
I hope that some of you will have read through this whole tirade of mine, and learnt a little from it. I'd be happy to answer questions on this thread or in DMs! Love and best wishes to everyone!
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