Fair warning: This is a long post.
I (37M, 6'1", 160lbs) started my weight loss journey in September of 2022. 9 years prior, I had lost 90 pounds, going from 265 to 175. I mostly kept that weight off for several years but then I had a job change, moved states, COVID happened, I got a divorce. You know, stuff that can really throw a person! So in September of 2022 when I stepped on the scale and saw 235, I knew I had to make a major course correction.
While I was despondent at what I knew would be a long journey ahead of me, I chose to look at the positives. Namely, I already knew how to do this! The first time I lost weight I had to learn everything about CICO, what worked for me in the gym, how to meet my macros, etc. So I was able to launch in with a full arsenal of tools to meet my goals.
Here's what works for me:
- CICO. I ate at a -500 calorie deficit. Every day. No breaks in that routine for 4 months.
- Low carb. I know this isn't for everyone and it certainly isn't gospel. But I keep my carbs under 40 every day and those carbs consist of leafy greens and fiber.
- Exercise. I go to the gym 6 days a week. I don't do anything crazy. I started with just walking. Now I run 3 miles a day on incline and then do a mix of sit-ups, pushups, pull-ups, and planks. I don't use any weights at all other than my body weight.
- Water. I drink 4-5L of water a day.
That's it. That all I did. Almost every day since September of 2022. And honestly, I...love it? The gym has become a place I really enjoy going to. If it's nice outside, I run there and do my other exercises at home. One major benefit of this is it's an exercise routine that travels very well so vacations don't throw me off anymore.
My daily food intake consists of 2 coffees (w/ cream- I simply won't deny myself that pleasure so I build around it), a sugar free Greek yogurt at 10:30, an Atkins protein bar at noon, some sugar free jerky at around 1:00, a cup of hot tea at around 2:00, A protein shake at 3:30, another protein shake after my workout at around 6:00, and then a dinner of lots of steamed vegetables with some butter and a lean protein. I try to regularly rotate between chicken, fish, pork and beef. After dinner I have a big apple for dessert. If I have the calories left over in the day, I will have another Greek yogurt or some nuts with the apple.
I feel fortunate that I don't get tired of this routine- I know it won't work for everyone. Personally I love the replicability of it. I also really enjoy that I feel like I'm constantly eating throughout the day and then I get honest to goodness full in the evening which helps me sleep and gives me something to look forward to during the day.
I've been maintaining my current weight since early January and I am considering going into a slight caloric surplus to assist in continued muscle building and toning. Maybe I'll try it out for a month or two and see what happens. I'm not looking to be chiseled, just toned up.
Last thing, I do have some loose skin as you can see in my photos (blurred but definitely NSFW). It's not as terrible as it could be though it does make me not want to take my shirt off in front of anyone. I'll give it a year or two and see if it's worth doing anything about.
Anyway, thanks for reading. Happy to answer questions as best as I can. Thank you all for being part of this community. I come every day just to get tips, find motivation, and have a sense of community so I don't feel alone in the process. Peace and love.
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