305lbs to 189lbs... 116lbs down and a big list of things I wish I had read before I started losing. (Progress pics included)

About me... Male/28/6'2''... I started losing at 305lbs in 2017 and currently I'm sitting at 189. As I lost the weight I learned A LOT of things that I wish I had known beforehand, so I thought it may help some folks out in their journey to hear them. They're in no particular order, and feel free to ask questions if anything needs more clarification...

Exercise:

• Pacing is everything, long term and short term. If you haven't worked out in a long time, start slow (I started on a stationary bike and weight machines). You'll be sore the first few times you work out, view it as a success.

• Consistency is CRITICAL, get a routine... it doesn't matter what the routine is, just stick to it.

• Evolve your workout as you lose. Incorporate new exercises, start running, try out new sports like boxing to keep it new and exciting.

• The people at the gym aren't looking at you, and if they are they're thinking "aww fuck yea, this guy/gal is gettin' it". It's actually really motivating to see people at the gym working on themselves.

• Don't be afraid to ask for help or a spot if you need it and don't go so hard that you injure yourself... listen to your body.

• I don't count my workout/burned calories toward by daily calorie budget, you may want to, experiment with it.

• Once you feel ready, find a standard to test yourself against. I use the FBI Special Agent Fitness Standards. You'll be amazed at the improvement you see over time.

Dieting:

• Calories in/Calories out is the main driver for weight loss. Use a calculator to find your daily caloric needs and use an app to track it (I use LoseIt).

• Track EVERYTHING. The only person that gets cheated when you cheat yourself on tracking is... you guessed it... you.

• You will be hungry, and that's alright. There's a difference between hunger and starvation. You'll get used to it and eventually not notice it. What you will notice is how full you feel after a decent sized meal (and how bad you feel after a huge meal).

• Weight loss rate fluctuates, you'll lose constantly at the beginning but over time you'll have plateaus and struggles, don't let that stop you.

• Get a food scale, they're cheap and they will absolutely change the way you look at portion size.

• Meal plan, I use Sunday to plan all my meals and grocery shop. If you plan meals ahead you're less likely to overeat.

• Booze is a killer. When I started tracking calories I didn't count 'social alcohol' because I didn't want to stop hanging out with people. Those calories still count in actuality. Track them.

• You're going to fail and overeat on occasion. The trick is to realize that you've done it and not let it become 2, 3, 4 days or a week of overeating.

Social:

• Your world view and view of other people change. You may start judging people for doing things that you used to do; that's OK, but remember that everyone is in a different spot/circumstance.

• The worlds view of you and other peoples view of you change. You might get noticed more or get more attention from the opposite gender.

• Dating gets both way easier and way harder at the same time.

• It's acceptable to turn down a drink and still be social. "Nah, thanks, but calories..." is an acceptable response to someone asking if you want to drink.

• People are going to have opinions and questions when they find out you've lost weight. Some people will try and give you suggestions on how to do it better... just smile and thank them.

• People are going to tell you to stop losing weight, that "you'll turn into nothing and blow away". The fact of the matter is that they don't know you, they don't know your goal, and most people have a warped view of what healthy actually is.

• You're going to turn into a light-weight drinker. Seriously, before losing I could put down 2-3 beers an hour for a whole night and just be buzzed... now I have three drinks the whole night and am ready for bed.

Medical:

• Your basic medical health is controlled 90% by your physicals fitness and 10% by uncontrollable factors... treat it as such. With weight loss comes lower cholesterol (for me, 237 to 162), Triglycerides (for me, 155 to 78), HDL (46 to 55), LDL (160 to 91).

• Along with medical markers, things like your immune system will improve, you'll get sick less (or less sick) and be WAY less at risk for other medical issues (see COVID comorbidities).

Other/General:

• You're going to feel weird. You'll start to feel more bone-y and see more veins. You'll get cold A LOT faster. Your shoes will feel too big because you lost fat in your feet.

• It's expensive, as you progress through your journey you'll need to buy new clothes. Until you reach your goal weight, don't buy anything overly expensive... you won't fit in it for very long.

• BMI can be deceiving, especially if you're gaining muscle and losing fat at the same time.

• Weigh yourself daily or weekly, but consistently. Same scale, same spot, same time of day.

• The 'paper towel effect' is real. As you lose you won't notice on the day to day level, but you'll see things happen... an old shirt is suddenly too big, you start to get more compliments, etc. It takes time, trust that it will happen.

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