How To Lose Weight And Keep It Off From Someone That Actually Did It
It's recently a New Year and it's that time many people begin their list of resolutions. Back in 2020, my resolution was to finally get my health in check. As many of you know I was out of control at 340 plus pounds. So I set out to change it and did. I've told that story before.
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Today I want to break down HOW I did it and maybe help you with some tricks of the trade. It's not something that can work for truly everyone because in the end, you actually have to have the imitative to do the certain things you need to do. I am now in Maintain Mode. I will never be 175 pounds, it's just not how my body works. But I've began to enjoy my life more and in getting down to 210, I feel great. I know there will be the fuckin "you're still clinically obese" assholes in the comments, but remember the job is never done and doing what I did is work in itself and it's one of the greatest thing I've achieved. My blood pressure is healthy again and I'm good health wise and that's something I'm happy with.
I did something called intermittent fasting, and it's to me the only "diet" I think would ever work for me and likely for you. It's a challenge at first realizing that you're only going to eat for a few hours a day but research it, find a method that works for you and run with it. For me I did a more rigorous schedule because I had a major weight problem and I wasn't going to sugarcoat it, it was going to be hard and I had to man the fuck up. The schedule I did was 20-4 meaning I eat 4 hours out of the day from 3pm-7pm EST. The goal I wanted was to have a sizeable meal around 6pm EST allow all the food to digest and cut out eating high amounts of sugar and late at night. The only thing I consumed between 7pm-3pm was water and black coffee.
Around 3pm every day I would eat and it wasn't much. For me I was just looking to get something into my stomach that took away the hunger and gave me some initial fuel to go outside and do something. So I found something from a dietician that mentioned peanut butter and jelly on wheat bread. I realized fairly quickly that it kept me feeling full, gave some good dietary benefits and got me going. I went with a lower calorie, lower sugar reduced fat jelly from Welch's. It surely got me going each day and gave me energy to do what I had to do and addressed most importantly my hunger. This is all started in March of 2020.
It was tough for a week or so, but only you get used to it, it's pretty easy. As I said above, this isn't something where you're always going to feel comfortable or good. It takes some discipline and want from yourself. At 4:30 or so daily I began my journey walking, getting out and doing something each day. Leaving the phone inside and breathing air. I'll admit when I first started I couldn't walk very far without being tired, but by Summer of 2020, I was going further and further. Once Summer came, I kept the sweat suit on and the goal was to just sweat. 30-40 minutes each day. Focusing on longer walks, sprints, pushups. Anything to get my heart going and steps in.
For dinner each night I focused on some greens/protein and fulfilling eats. I called a friend of mine who owns a restaurant and told him what I was hoping he'd do for me, he told me he "had me" with it all. The thing about intermittent fasting is you can't just "eat what you want." There was no fast food or fried favorites for me. I cut them out. I would with every meal start with a chicken Caesar salad, very light parmigiana cheese. It's refreshing, delicious and filling. I went with a simple Ken's light balsamic dressing. No heavy Caesar dressing. I wasn't as health conscious with the small amount of croutons or cheese as for me I was trying to stay below 2500 calories per day. I also for added protein would mix in 3-4 days a week some hard boiled egg. I would eat these salads 7 days per week. The main meal I had would surprise you but for me it worked like a charm. I would order a chicken steak wrap. Essentially it was grilled chopped up shaved chicken like a steak sandwich but with chicken. I would have them add some light onion, and green pepper as well and throw a little cheese on and boom… I would add at home some hot sauce for some great flavor. It was something I'd eat virtually every night.
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However… I didn't completely cut off anything bad. I didn't each much in the way of sugar, but one night a week, I would still have pizza, but it was very light cheese with no toppings and I'd have my salad as well. I would occasionally go have dinner with my parents and I'd eat but the cooking was kept with a certain thought of health. If I had burgers, I'd use a wheat roll, or lettuce wrap. I had BBQ chicken and meatloaf and crab cakes. But when you're as heavy as I was, just eating better and less did the trick. However no wings, or french fries, or ranch dressing or donuts, or pancakes. It was cutting out all the truly bad stuff.
This is not a science and I'm sure it won't work for EVERYONE. But it's simple, if you cut out bad sugar i.e cookies, cakes, donuts and fried food i.e french fries stuff like that and don't eat past 7/8pm EST you will lose weight. Was it repetitive for a year plus? Yes and did I not want to go outside and do something each day sure, but once the weight started coming off and I felt the way I did I was loving it. In the first 3 or so months, I lost 60 pounds and within a year or so I was down over 100. Ultimately going from 343, to where I am now around 210-212.
Life is a little different. I drink once a week now, I am a little more free with my eating schedule. But the principles are still there. I rarely outside of one night a week eat past 7pm and I still very much limit my sugar intake. I still workout, but now it's getting out there and running a mile plus each day, lifting, doing more and more pushups, getting better at boxing workouts. I sweat and I feel good still. It's all adequate and the workouts allow me a bit more freedom.
As I've said before if I can do it, so can you. Don't wait til it's too late to do it and be at the point of no return. Trust me when you do do it, you will be glad you did. Everything will feel better, you'll look younger, your joints will feel better, you'll sleep good, you'll wake up feeling great and to be honest, your dick will be a fuckin laser, and you'll see it again which is great. LOL. The biggest thing for me is confidence, I know it annoys some but I can take on anything and get whatever I want now.
In the end I'm healthier but the confidence and aura I know have is what's most important. I'm no longer a hermit, I'm living my best life and the small stuff doesn't bother me anymore.
Good luck and if you have questions I'm here for you.