10 Months and 120 Pounds into My Second Major Weight Loss Journey
It’s November 1 and since January I have lost 120 pounds. This health journey has significantly boosted my strength, improved cardiovascular health, and given me a fresh perspective towards dietary habits. Several people have asked about my weight loss strategy, so here are the fundamental principles that have helped me.
One realization has been the critical role of a calorie deficit in enabling fat loss. In a past weight-loss attempt six years ago, a strict keto diet aided in losing over 100 pounds. Despite its success, the diet proved unsustainable, largely due to the stringent food restrictions. Once I stopped, ingrained eating habits bounced me back to my initial weight.
Such experiences reinforced the belief that the game-changer is really a calorie deficit. All diet plans - keto, paleo, Mediterranean, etc. - achieve their goals by inducing a calorie deficit through food limitations, but often this leads to cravings for the eliminated favorite foods.
Counting Calories
Beginning in March, I have been tracking my calorific intake diligently with an emphasis on protein. Several apps exist for this purpose, but Carbon Diet Coach proved to be the best tool in my opinion. Its coaching feature gives weekly calorie goal adjustments based on daily weigh-ins is better than the static recommendations provided by other apps, like MyFitnessPal.
While not for everyone, food tracking is working well for me. Initially, adapting to constant weigh-ins, logging recipes, reviewing restaurant nutritional data, and adding other facets to my routine required some time. But they became a routine part of my daily life. It does require effort and its frequently on my mind, but it does away with mindless daily eating which would otherwise contribute to my weight gain.
This app does not account for calories burned through exercise, an advantage considering how inaccurate most workout devices can be. My fat loss method is now eating-based more than exercise-based. My meal plans aim at fat loss, while exercise is targeted at all-around good health.
The app maintains a consistent protein consumption. Studies suggest the necessity of consuming 0.7-1 gram of protein per lean body weight for muscle retention, irrespective of any weight targets.
The weekly planner within the app is another feature I appreciate. It offers a granular view of your food intake on both weekly and daily levels. This is useful on my weightlifting days when I feel more hungry and therefore allow for a larger intake. Also, I tend to give a small surplus on two occasions when eating out each week. Consequently, on slower days, typically Tuesdays and Thursdays, I reduce my intake by 15-20%, leaving room for extra consumption on other days. Viewing weight loss as a long game, I find this weekly approach helpful.
Tracking calories has educated me significantly about food. I’ve realized how little things I eat throughout the day accumulate and put me on a calorie surplus, causing the substantial weight gain over time.
With calorie tracking, I am free to eat any food as long as it fits within my daily calorie budget. This allows for cookies, pizza, ice cream, and more no longer being off-limits. This practice has also improved my food relationship and boosted my confidence, preventing any potential guilt or shame due to eating.
Tracking calories and using the app is only as useful as the input that you put in. This is why I am pretty meticulous about weighing the food I can to be as accurate as possible. Humans are terrible at estimating sizes when it comes to food. Additionally, the daily weigh in gives the app the information it needs to accurately assess your calories each week to keep you at your goals.
Committing to 8,500 Daily Steps
Since January, I’ve consistently hit a minimum of 8,500 steps each day, completing 243 continuous days. Research underscores the positive impact of daily physical activities on overall well-being, including cardiac health, mobility, cognitive function, etc. The journey to this easy routine from averaging 3,000-4,500 steps a day represents conscious dedication and planning.
Emphasizing Strength Training
Awhile back I read the excellent book, Outlive, by Peter Attia. One of the things that he pointed out is that muscle mass is one of the leading indicators of your health span. As we age, we will lose muscle, which can cause a whole host of issues.
He says,
This is another area where my thinking has changed over time. I used to prioritize nutrition over everything else, but I now consider exercise to be the most potent longevity “drug” in our arsenal, in terms of lifespan and healthspan. The data are unambiguous: exercise not only delays actual death but also prevents both cognitive and physical decline, better than any other intervention. We also tend to feel better when we exercise, so it probably has some harder-to-measure effect on emotional health as well.
I regularly lift weights three times a week, focusing on the core barbell lifts of squat, deadlift, bench press, and overhead press.
Moreover, weightlifting provides flexibility in my diet as the additional muscle mass increases the body’s calorie burn rate overall, which is beneficial.
Cardiovascular Fitness
This aspect still requires attention and I’d like to incorporate some more set goals, but I’ve included hiking, rucking, occasional trail running, and basketball for cardiovascular benefits. I’m now able to play a full court basketball game without gasping for breath.
Conclusion
Through this experience, I’ve discovered that the principle ‘weight loss occurs at the dining table, not the gym’ rings true. Keeping this in focus, I’ve regained control over my health and wellness, becoming healthier than I’ve been in a long time.