5’11 (and a half), 255lbs, M, 26.
I’ve been doing very well so far on my weight loss journey.
I started running back at the end of January (did C25K). I had signed up to a 5k race at the start of the month and had it as a goal that I locked into. I built a real foundation of exercise and accepted that I had to be patient to actually be able to run continuously.
But it didn’t stop me eating.
I did the gym very occasionally this year but finally started properly the week after (end of May) I finished my first official 5K race. I did 3 times a week (PPL) but for the most part just got to know the equipment and get ok form and figure out a better plan. So that time wasn’t a waste as I accepted that I had to be patient with this too, and spend time getting into it. I doubt my gains were amazing but it’s a foundation for more. I kept up my running a bit to not lose any ability to do it but did it less to focus on the gym.
Alter a month of doing that, I changed my plan to a 4 day gym split (ULUL) and picked the exercises I liked the most. I have since changed some and picked up others, as will happen, but this was still the best solution. I tried to keep running alongside this but it was tough to manage both at first, so for two weeks of this I only a short run once a week.
I finally had to change my eating. I’d wanted to and attempted to at some points all of this year but I now needed actual energy and sustenance. The snacks weren’t cutting it.
So with the help of AI, I built a training plan for the gym and running, and my diet.
This may have to be adapted when I have more on, but right now it’s been great. I do Monday Upper, Tuesday Lower, Wednesday short run, Thursday Upper, Friday Lower (with two extra upper exercises included), Saturday longer run, Sunday day off.
It’s been a lot but I’ve been doing it for several weeks now and it’s working great. I do have a lot more energy because I finally also accepted that this weight loss will take time- and because patience and hard work have been the things I’ve learnt from exercising.
And when I said weight loss, I more mean fat loss- because I’m focusing on body recomp. That means getting enough protein (and by the way this is incredibly helpful for making you fuller and not wanting to eat as much), lifting, trying to sleep better, and a calorie deficit that is both healthy, reasonable, but also slow-ish.
Now I’ll admit I’m not going THAT slowly (2lbs a week is my target) for now, but eventually my TDEE will drop further and I’ll have to adapt, but this works well NOW. I get around 135 grams of protein a day, sometimes a little less, sometimes a little more, and eat 2200 calories a day.
I still get to enjoy some nicer food, and I’ve managed to have a couple events out with friends and family where I’ve had a meal or a few drinks BUT I adapt and accept my calories may be a little higher but that overall that’s okay!
Because this is a lifetime thing. Which drives me to my larger, and original, point- how can you expect to change your eating habits if you are just replacing it with something that isn’t reasonable or normal?
Had I been fasting or a specific diet or getting WAY less calories than I should be then I would have little energy for training, I’d be losing muscle mass and not changing my body and gaining/keeping muscle like I want (and like everyone should!), and I’d have missed out on some days out with friends and family- and little moments for my self. Like having a nice protein bar with my coffee in the morning, or a bag of lower calorie but tasty crisps when watching a tv show episode after a hard day.
I’ve not actually even lost tons yet, as my actual diet only started a month ago, but this month has been PRACTICAL and I’m moving forward. My other diets have been so restrictive, and I just say around wanting to eat, whereas now I’m fighting out what food tastes good but also fills me up and gets me enough protein to reach gym and running goals.
The running isn’t absolutely needed for weight loss imo, but I’m not stopping now, bc it was so hard to get into and improve upon at my weight, and it taught me patience and endurance. It gave me the momentum to eventually do the gym, and now my diet, and all three work alongside each other right now quite well.
My new struggle is trying to find a way to focus LESS on this stuff because building the plan took a while, but now I’m in the swing of it all, and have goals, I hyper-fixate- and what I need to do is accept it’s working, monitor, do what I set out, and outside of that stuff LIVE MY LIFE and do other shit!
I was 275lbs before December on a diet that didn’t work BUT did get me down to 264lbs (it didn’t work because after the initial big loss over a few weeks, I couldn’t stop binging and maintained that slight loss for AGES). I started at 264lbs 4 weeks ago and will be 253lbs very soon.
I don’t have all the answers but I do honestly think after my whole life being obese, I’ve figured this out fairly well. I feel I can move forward at last. I’ve booked a half marathon at the end of May next year, so that’s a goal in itself (I’d like to run it for a specific charity for my friend who passed away last year). I have some gym targets in terms of upping my reps/sets/KG each week, and focusing on each muscle group, and my diet fat loss targets.
Anyway, that is all I wanted to say! Hope this helps anyone struggling!
