So I posted a couple months ago about my weight loss journey I thought I might want to update it, about 18 months back I decided to quit alcohol. I noticed the weight was slowly coming off, and I have for the last 20 years been dedicated to daily exercise (a incline walk lasting 1-2 hours daily).
I believe this is why I was able to keep the weight down, but I also didn't eat the best. I was about 24 years back, around 300lb. I went to my doctor, and he put me on high blood pressure pills, but instead I said, what If I start walking uphill. He was totally into it, and from there I got myself down to about 220 lb in about 2-3 years. Then got in a nasty divorce, and started drinking and got back up to about 245lb....
So I decided to quit alcohol about 18 months ago, I went cold turkey, I saw it wasn't doing me any favors, I noticed my body didn't like it. So ... I stopped. It wasn't good, was very hard, and I struggled with the loss of calories. But I kept going! Then about five months back, I decided that I wanted to quit sugar, but instead, I went even harder, and decided to quit fast food and what I consider crap food.
So I've been doing this now for about five months, and in that time, I've easily lost 50+ lb. It's insane to watch your body change, you can literally feel your bones, and not flab. Like my ribcage is now exposed, I can feel the bones in my chest, ass, etc. Sadly I have a lot of loose skin around my belly, ass, and such.
How do I lose so much? Well instead of these crash diets, or crazy diets like carnivore, etc, I do this: I eat only whole foods -- -for lunch I'm actually having chicken tacos, simple, one chicken breast, two good size tomatoes, and green onions. I'm having them with whole wheat tortillas, and even some hard ones. Sure, those aren't the best (and I understand moderately processed) but... still ok, for dinner, I'll have my usual, a chicken breast , potatoes (a good helping), zuchinni, and some green pepper. I dip it in a no-sugar bbq sauce (thanks to walmart) and lap it up. I eat these meals daily, it's boring, but --- to me sustainable.
I will then do my exercise routine, which I have upped again, I'm now doing a 6.5km hike daily, that consists of a 500m vertical gain. It takes me about a hour twenty to do, I don't even really sweat anymore, and I'm able to maintain a low heart rate the whole time. It's now not really a chore, even though the last 150m is pure vertical. I also force myself to wear a 10lb pack filled with water for extra weight. I have not missed this hike in over 70 days now daily.
How is my body?!?!? better than ever, you see when I was around 200+lb, every time I would come home I was exhausted, my body sore, my muscles in pain, now I come home, and I don't even feel it, even if I stretch to 10km -- I come home feeling like I didn't even exercise. I believe this is from the reduced sugar intake, inflammation, and much lower weight on my bodies joints.
I'm writing this because, I want people who are trapped in the weight cycle, eating crap, trying to exercise and feeling bad because it hurts, there is a end. I guarantee the more you lose, the better you'll feel. Don't let the food addiction get to you, get out, start a routine and stop living with the weight and burden.
I have not included my height until now but I'm Six foot Three (6' 3"), I'm in the lower middle BMI now for my size. I probably have 10lb of calf, glutes, and lower muscle mass, I'm putting my end weight to around 170lb, not sure if this is a good goal or not, todays weigh in was 177.6lb. I hope my story inspires people to get out and exercise, look at what they eat, and have a little inspiration.
Good luck everyone on their weight loss journey.
