Hello all. Just under four years ago, in July 2020, I started a much needed weight loss journey. I finally reached a healthy weight (according to BMI) today. My journey isn’t done, and my next goal is 175. Though I am already quite happy with my progress. Here are my quick stats and progress pictures:
Start: 19M/293lbs/6ft0in Current: 22m/184lbs/6ft0in Pics: https://imgur.com/a/KZpU05n
Here’s my long story.
I was always the big kid growing up, but at the end of high school I really let go of control. I was gaining thirty some pounds every year. At the end of my first year at college, which happened to also be at the start of Covid (stress eating, little exercise) I was nearly 300 pounds. I was ashamed and needed change.
I went on a strict keto diet and began counting calories. I started to walk at least once a day. For the first few months, the pounds came off really fast. I wanted to lose at least 2lbs per week and be at the weight I am now in a year. Obviously, it took much much longer than that.
By Christmas time, my dieting has slowed and I hovered around 245 pounds until March. There wasn’t any reason, I believe I just needed a break. What I learned from this first break, however, is how to maintain. I could’ve easily gone back to my eating and nonexistent exercise habits, but I unexpectedly made some permanent lifestyle changes that really helped. I was, overall, eating better. And I kept my walks every day even when I wasn’t strictly counting calories or tracking weight.
I picked back up in March and started adding running to my routine, for the first time in my life (shoutout to C25K!) By August 2021, after being more than a year in, I was at 225 pounds. Looking back now, I am so impressed and proud of myself for losing nearly 70 pounds in one year, but at that time I was angry and disappointed. I wanted to be at my goal weight by then, and I was sad and stressed I wasn’t.
I went back to university a few weeks later, and truthfully had a terrible year. A bad living situation and stress led to a deep depression that year. I stopped caring about my weight exercise. I consider September 2021-May 2022 as my “lost year”. I had no motivation and, for the first time in my entire weight loss journey, increased weight significantly. I was going backwards and shot back to 246 pounds.
I needed to tackle my depression first. This is a tip to everyone, that I wish I learned first: your mental health matters so much. It means so much more than whatever weight you are, and by actually dealing with that first, you’ll make the entire weight loss journey much more easy. You deserve to be well mentally. I thought I was always unhappy because of my weight, but no. Those feelings won’t go away magically if you lose weight. These are separate things you have to tackle.
My doctor put me on Wellbutrin and I felt instantly better. It’s one of the only antidepressants that don’t cause an increase in appetite, and once I started feeling happy again I was able to focus on my weight loss. By the end of that summer of 2022, I was at 213 pounds.
My next and last semester at university was relaxing and I was able to really focus on my weight. I knew I was going abroad in January and wanted to not have to obsess over my weight while I was gone. In December, I was at 195 pounds. I was still considered overweight, but happy with my progress.
Since January 2023, I’ve been living abroad for work. I have stopped paying too much attention to my calorie intake, though I still eat well and exercise. I think I’ve been doing pretty well with the whole intuitive eating thing. Back in COVID, I could eat everything I see and still feel hungry. Now, not so much. Since living abroad, I’ve noticed the food is much different than in the United States. I truly do believe that we are often eating terrible things when it comes to the processed foods. Where I’m at, I’m eating fresh, real food for nearly every meal. And when I do crave junk food, I notice that the calories are nearly half of that than in the US. Food quality and restrictions are simply better abroad. I truly hope our government will implement some of these restrictions other countries enjoy.
I weighed myself sporadically since moving abroad. In May, I was at 190. And now, I’m finally at 184, nearly four years later. Could I have gone much faster? Yes. Do I wish I had sometimes? Also yes. But I’m glad I took my time. I think I realized how to maintain weight and how to eat without obsessing on calories. I urge everyone to take your time with your journey’s too. Sure, you won’t get there as fast. But you’ll make sure that when you do get there, you’ll know how to stay there.
Like I mentioned, I want to lose another ten pounds to reach my “goal” weight. But I’m in no rush to get there.
And thanks to this community for support. I’ve always lurked, but just reading other’s posts, advice, and successes, I felt inspired.
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