I’m back for a 12 month update (here’s my 6 month update from the end of June). Probably another long-ish post, sorry!
Obligatory updated before and after picture.
M / 30 / SW: 153.2kg / CW: 80.6kg / GW1: 100kg / GW2: 90kg / GW3: 85kg
Hello! As per title, I’m back for a 12 month update. These last 6 months have flown by, both in terms of weight loss and fitness but also in life. As the year comes to a close, I thought what better time to sit down and reflect on the past.
Overview
I’ve continued to track everything I’ve eaten and drank; I try to be consistent as possible. My daily steps and exercise calories burnt are still tracked in a spreadsheet. My goal was to track everything for a whole year, as a little experiment, which I won’t continue to do after the new year. If I wanted to, I could always go back and get the data, so no biggie. Here’s an update to my progress.
My daily calorie limit went from 2000, to 1800 (when I wanted a last bit of weight to budge), and then back up to 2250, which is what I have kept it set as. My TDEE is around 2350 when I last checked but 9 times out of 10, I will consume around 2350-2500 calories a day.
Intermittent fasting helped amazingly in my weight loss journey, but I have since stopped and starting eating breakfast again. IF is a great tool to limit calorie intake, but towards the end of my IF journey, I found that I was just consuming more calories at night and it kind of offset why I was doing it to begin with. I now have smaller calorie meals throughout the day and I’ve still slowly lost some weight!
Food
Looking back over this year, I would say my diet has changed now. For breakfasts, instead of calorific chocolate porridge (porridge with like half a jar of chocolate spread melted in (don’t knock it until you’ve tried it haha)) that I would have had a couple of years ago, I now have a bowl of Greek yoghurt, some fresh berries and some nuts/seeds or a bowl of porridge with apple and blueberries for breakfast.
For lunches, I now eat salads with either a can of tuna or some cooked meat and some cottage cheese. Oh, and when I say salad, I mean a mahoosive bowl of the stuff! It’s super low calorie and fills me right up. Keeps me going all afternoon.
Dinners have been pretty much the same as I’ve had in the past, but really, portion control was the winner here. The kitchen scale is truly my best friend!
For groceries, I’m going back to the supermarket. I found that the click and collect retailers’ prices were increasing and found that going to Aldi, I could keep our costs down. We still plan our meals out for the week, and keeps those costs right down!
My outlook on food has definitely changed. I now see it as fuel and making sure I try and consume more satiety foods, more fruit and vegetables and less processed foods. I also try to get as much protein in me as possible. I love to cook now, I’ve tried so many dishes and keep checking Pinterest for new inspiration.
Drink
I have since had the odd drink throughout the year. As I said in my 6 month update, I’m not really a big drinker and that is still the case (even though I could quite easily understand how easy it is to turn to a bottle during this pandemic!)
I don’t drink squash (cordial drink that you mix with water, for the Americans out there) anymore. I purely drink water for my hydration. I got a lovely big 1L bottle for my birthday and drink a minimum of 2L a day, pushing for 3L, but I’m not strict on myself for this. I still have a Pepsi Max every night with dinner, I love it!
Exercise
I continue to track everything on my Apple Watch, and still close my rings every day. In January, I think around the 9th, I’ll have closed all three rings for 1 whole year. I walk the dog everyday at a brisk pace, usually around 9 minutes/km, but if I’ve woken with a lot of energy or have a burst of energy after work, I can get this down to around 8:30/km.
Ring Fit Adventure is still played, but much less now. With having our new baby, my priorities shifted, and I couldn’t devote as much time to this. I still like to play when possible, but it’s probably only once of twice a week now. Gyms have been opening and closing with the pandemic (I can hardly keep up lol), and with our baby, I haven’t joined a gym yet, but I’m eyeing up the bodyweight fitness recommended routine in the new year.
I’ve added in some running to my exercises. I can now run 7-8k without stopping, something I couldn’t have done this time last year, that’s for sure! It’s not an area I’m focusing on (I just use it to burn calories), but I have noticed that I’ve gone from running around 6:30/km to 5:30/km!
Life
Welp, this hasn’t really changed has it! Coronavirus is still here and possibly (especially in the UK, that is) in a worse place than we were earlier in the year. Our son is out of NICU, he was discharged at the end of July, so a little bit after I made my previous update. He continues to be my motivation; I want to be active with him and run around and play with him without getting out of breathe.
Sleeping is still so weird. My knees are knobbly and bony, I’ve sometimes had to add in a pillow between my legs. I’m much happier in myself: clothes fit me better, able to shop at high street shops, my lower back doesn’t play up anymore, I’m much more confident, I look after myself such as skincare and haircare. I like to look good now, and get dressed properly every day, not just sitting in jogging bottoms all the time.
I’m now below by goal weight and have been in maintenance for a couple of weeks now. I’ve still lost a little weight, but at a much slower pace than before. This isn’t intentional: I think because I don’t eat back my burnt calories as I always saw those as extra, I still am in a slight deficit. Maintenance is something I’m still learning about, but it’s a great feeling knowing that I can just have a spoon of almond butter or peanut butter to help add the calories on when I want. I don’t have a new goal weight: my new goals are fitness related such as participating in a RunDisney event (when they’re running – excuse the pun!) and gaining some more muscle.
Sign off
That sums up my last 6 months and a brief look back at my year-long weight loss journey. Hopefully there’s some bits in here that help you on your journey. I’m happy to answer any questions you have and hope you and your families have a wonderful and safe Christmas. Here’s to a much better 2021!
P.S. I’m still logging in daily on MyFitnessPal under the same name here if you want to add me or say hello.
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