75 pounds over 2 years. My slow and steady weight loss recipe and journey.
So, you want to lose weight? Here's what worked for me with minimal gym time and an average sedentary lifestyle for the most part. ( Bolded because that has changed the longer I've been in this healthiness mindset.) Also, let me say that I am in no way super knowledgeable about fitness, etc. This will not have any macros or regimens discussed, etc. I'm just a normal dude who made some basic quality of life changes that I have incorporated into my every day.
Backstory: Currently, I am a 31 year old graduate student who spends a lot of time sitting in front of a computer and trying to live cheaply and eat healthy. When I was 25 I had heart surgery to fix a congenital defect which left me with a mechanical valve. Needless to say, I've been dealing with health and situations regarding health my entire life.
Roughly 2-3 years ago I was at my heaviest. For all the health experience and knowledge I should have gleaned from my various experiences over the years, my weight was something that was never at the forefront. For whatever reason, despite knowing the adverse effects your weight can have on your health, it was never a primary concern of mine. I have always dealt with high blood pressure and other symptoms, but chalked them up to being a result of other issues, certainly not my weight.
So, like I said, I was at my heaviest. I am not a tall man, roughly 5'7". I weighed 215 and had a BMI of >30. For those of you who don't know or follow the handy BMI scale it means this: I was obese. Like, clinically obese. My blood pressure with medications was not good, my cholesterol was not good, my triglycerides were not good. I was in poor health. So, it was then that I decided that there were changes that needed to be made, which now brings me to the meat of this post and how I changed my health.
STEP 1: MOTIVATION
Before beginning any weight loss journey, it's pivotal to have a motivation to push you through it. You are going to experience cravings, you are going to get tired of the same foods, you are going to feel like you are having a god-damn withdrawals. THIS IS NORMAL. Feel and experience all these things, it's part of the process. However, it is imperative to have something that is even more important to you than those feelings, than food. For me, it was my health in general and my wife. Having already experienced what poor health feels like (acute heart failure), and the symptoms that come along with it, my general health became the motivation to power through the difficult times. And let me tell you, if it is at all possible to improve your health BEFORE you begin experiencing any adverse symptoms, I implore you to try. You don't realize how badly you want to breathe until you can't catch your breathe from walking up a set of stairs.
Lastly, along the same lines as motivation is your mindset. I found it most reassuring and beneficial to not frame my weight loss goal/journey/whatever as a diet. I didn't simply want to diet. Dieting has a beginning and an end and I needed something continuous, something that was just part of my everyday rather than an arbitrary or specific goal to be attained. Those goals I internally wanted to achieve would come naturally as a byproduct of incorporating a healthy lifestyle into my being.
So, what did I change after all?
2. FOOD
This is the big one, the real motherfucker for most of us. That delicious, ooey-gooey mac & cheese, or that plate of ribs, and that big slice of cheesecake. I won't lie--if you're anything like me and enjoy food, it's difficult at the start. But, it gets easier. Like, I actually don't even crave those things anymore easier. With that being said, here's my changes:
1.DAIRY: I cut out almost all dairy products. Almond milk instead of any animal milk, no cheese, no yogurt. Almond milk actually tastes really good and I am surprised it took me so long to even try it. If I am craving cheese or yogurt, I buy the vegetarian Daiya stuff for cheese (tastes better than it smells) and a brand called Kite Hill for yogurt. I eat A LOT of cereal so this was a big one for me, but I don't even miss it anymore.
2. MEAT: Much like above, I cut out the majority of meat from my diet. No eggs (egg whites are fine), no red meat at all, and fish/chicken if I feel like having some. Once again, this was very difficult for me. I was a huge meat-eater. I found tofu to be a great substitute. It's all about how you cook it. I like to bake mine off and fry it so it gets crispy and add it to all kinds of sauces and curries. It's a versatile product that has filled in (although, not completely) as a great meat substitute.
3. BEVERAGES: Water is life. It will become your best friend. It makes up probably 90% of my liquid intake. Occasionally, I'll still get a diet Faygo, or some other drink, but honest to god it's water 9 out of 10 times. It's the quickest way to lose that initial weight.
4. SNACKS: We all do it. Snacks are tasty. Especially those fried, salty ones. Sorry, cut down on your chips for snacking. Not only that, I found most of the time when I snacked I was just bored or thirsty. I always make sure I drink something before I reach to make a PB&J now because most of the time I'm not actually hungry.
3. SO WHAT DO I EAT?
Basically, I eat the things I have let my taste buds learn to enjoy. My breakdown in a day usually looks something like this:
1. Breakfast: I usually do half a bowl of whole grain cereal mixed with some flavored Kashi cereal (usually peanut butter) and a banana. It depends. Today I had a banana and a whole grain pita smothered with avocado and hummus. Regardless, I always try to make sure I have some fruit in the morning, berries in particular. Also, try to get things that are high in fiber! Soluble is best.
2. Lunch: I ALWAYS have a big salad for lunch. 2 cups of iceberg lettuce with carrots, cucumber, and radish slices on top. I'll usually have something on the side like hummus to dip things into. But, this is a staple. Salad for lunch always.
3. Snacking:I still snack quite often but the portions are smaller and the options are healthier. Instead of heating up a slice of pizza or two like I used to, now I have berries on hand or almonds or something else. I don't do chips, cookies, etc. I stay away from refined sugars and carbs as much as I can. Healthy choices!
4. Dinner: Learn to love lentils, barley, rice, beans, and any whole grains. These can easily be made into soups or cooked together with a sauce to create a wonderful stew/roast type of meal. Add potatoes for extra stick to your ribs and I promise you'll go to bed satiated. I do tofu a lot and spend a little time looking up recipes online or from books. Despite the basics being boring as they are, food is VERSATILE, and you can do so many things with them that you'll never have to eat the same meal twice if you don't want to. Also, if you don't particularly like vegetables like me, stick with the ones you do like. I like carrots. So, I eat carrots with almost every meal. Just get some veggies, they're important.
It's important to remember that this is sort of my food capsule. The things I always go back to and keep me grounded and focused. I still indulge myself occasionally. I will still eat a whole pizza once in a blue moon (minus the cheese) or I'll eat some ice cream. The expectation isn't to completely eliminate these things forever and ever. It's to learn better self-control and self-discipline through slowly acclimating yourself to a healthier lifestyle.
The reason this has taken me over two years to lose this weight is because I had to integrate these things into my life in a way that felt comfortable and at a pace I knew I could maintain. It could absolutely be quicker and even more weight if you really like going to the gym or really like exercising. This is just a guideline to hopefully help someone.
Last but not least:
4. EXERCISE: I walk. A lot. I walk to class, to the grocery store, for fun, etc. But, for the most part, walking is my only form of exercise. Occasionally I go shoot hoops and I tend to my garden, but walking is what I actively do most of the time. I aim for 1 hour uninterrupted per day minimum. I carry a fit bit most of the time to make sure I hit my steps goal and I find being in nature and outside generally improves my mood, thus improving my ability to stick with these life changes even when I don't want to. I occasionally go the gym, particularly in the winter because I do enjoy cycling but that is seldom. It's really just walking frequently every day. Anybody can do that. One foot in front of the other for however long your body can take it.
This guide is what I've been doing for 2+ years now and of this morning I am 150.8 pounds. It's been a difficult process that has significantly become easier the more that time has gone on. There's a quote by LLoyd Alexander where at the end he states,
Once you told me that the seeking counts more than the finding. So, too, must the striving count more than the gain.
This is not a lose weight quick process and won't be for everyone. But if you make small changes gradually, you will see the results you want. The strive to improve your health and life is the ultimate goal here rather than the end goal. It will come in time.
I hope this helps someone!
EDIT: Typo - I meant 65, not 75 in the title.
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