My Weight Loss & Fitness Journey

Before officially weighing in this time around, I was just going to mention that at my biggest I weighed in at 22 Stone 7 lbs aged 28 which is approx 143 kg which is 315 lbs (I will provide all weight measurements for international readers hehe)

It would not surprise me if I was back at that weight now aged 30 to be honest... However, I've always been a big lad and do carry it well (despite a big belly now unfortunately)

For reference:

Back when I was 16 years old, I was quite the athlete at 11% body fat and very active. Back then I weighed in at around 16 stone (approx 101kg or 220lbs)

When I fleshed out at around 20 years old and was playing alot of Rugby, I was probably more around 18% body fat at 18 stone (approx 114kg or 250 lbs)

By around 25 years of age, I was doing alot of Kickboxing and Boxing and walking (for my job) approx 15-20 miles per day and I remember hitting 19 stone (approx 120kg or 265 lbs)

Since I'm now 30 and will be focusing on getting back into Boxing, I believe my ideal weight would be between 18-19 stone (approx 114kg - 120kgs or 250-265 lbs)

This was all for frame of reference... When I log my actual body weight now, I shall probably decide on a realistic goal for end of 2020...

The reason I gave this background info was also because most people would hear such weights and presume I've always been overweight. But that's not the case. For bigger built men in particular, at my height of 6'3" and broad shouldered, big build, BMI seems to fail us...

Just check out the weights of Heavyweight Boxers, or NFL players, or Rugby players to see what I mean

Ok, so my scales and diet plan arrived today so it's all systems go...

My Current Stats:

Day 1
Date: 2nd August 2020
Age: 30
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 22 Stone (308 lbs or 140kg)
BMI: 38.2 (Obese Class 2)
Body Fat: 51.1 % (Overweight)
Body Water: 37.5 % (Unhealthy)
Blood Pressure: 123/83 (Perfect)
Pulse Rate: 93 (Very high)

So these are my current stats.

I shall log these weekly initially and then monthly I imagine... We'll see.

My target weight in 5 months time is: 19 stone (266 lbs or 120kg)

So my target weight loss in 5 months is: 3 stone (42 lbs or 19kg)

Which is healthy considering 2lbs per week is healthy weight loss (and 22 weeks is the target frame)

HERE WE GO!!!

I've just decided to make it an 8 month plan so I can healthily reach my target weight of 17 stone (240 lbs or 108kg)

This would be weight loss of 2lb per week for 36 weeks.

CURRENT WEIGHT

August 2020 Weight: 22 Stone (308 lbs or 140kg)

TARGET WEIGHT

April 2021 Target: 17 stone (240 lbs or 108kg)

TARGET WEIGHT LOSS:

8 months: 5 stone (70 lbs or 32kg)

DIET JOURNAL: Day 1 of Diet started. Reduced from 3000 calories (which would maintain diet) to 2000 calories so I'm already feeling it. But feeling optimistic. It truly does feel like I've taken the first step of a journey of 1000 miles... Day 1 of 8 months... Day 1 of 36 weeks... Day 1 of 252 days... haha

I've decided to keep a journal of progress here, as well as the monthly statistics which will hopefully log my weight loss journey to my goal over 8 months... 22 stone (140kg or 308 lbs) to 17 stone (108kg or 238 lbs). It's crazy to imagine what 5 stone (32kg or 70 lbs) looks like.

I'm the sort of guy that when asked "how's it going?" would usually reply "yeah, it's going great thanks" so I really want to be super honest and open here in this journal...

So Day 1 evening I can already feel my belly rumbling a bit haha. And I feel a bit odd in my head. But this is an enormous change from my normal meat eating diet to what will actually be vegan for the first month at least.

I've given the Huel product a go. I'm familiar with it since I've done it in the past and it's very healthy and nutritionally complete.

I've done 7-day juice cleanses in the past (which I found were effective for fast weight loss but brutal to go through and usually the weight piles back on) so I won't be doing them again. I've also done something called Diet Chef which again is quite a nutritionally complete mix of proper food that comes ready.

My adopted Dad is also doing a weight loss journey of his own. I think I inspired him. He has gone for a product called Purition which seems similar to Huel.

I'm thinking Month 1 I will use Huel, Month 2 perhaps Diet Chef, then Month Purition; Then if everything is going well it would seem logical to rinse and repeat that with Month 4 Huel, Month 5 Diet Chef and Month 6 Purition; Then depending on the last 2 months, I would probably choose my favourites. Maybe Month 6 Diet Chef and Month 7 Huel.

Of course this is just purely an idea for now.

Well, that's about it for my Day 1. I'm feeling good for having started and feeling courageous for having planned an 8 month regime.

Here's to progress and improving our health!

I wish anyone else who is going through this good luck too.

I'm writing this thread for myself so I'm also interested to see if anyone else actually reads it and whether they might find something interesting in my journey.

Time will tell...

DIET JOURNAL: Day 2

I am preparing for this to be an emotional rollercoaster. Since I was a binge eater, and comfort foodie, I believe I used food as an escape or a number. I've been clean, teetotal sober for 18 months and when lockdown happened (along with other things I was struggling with at the time) I turned to food.

I am correcting my mistakes now over these next 8 months, and then for the rest of my life, since I realize now, it is an addiction.

But what I'm getting at with today's entry is this. I imagine, since I used food for numbing, that when I lose the weight I may have to confront certain emotions... It's almost as if the gut or belly stores emotion, I feel. This might seem a bit esoteric, but I think emotions are 'stored' in the body, especially with trauma, so I am trying to prepare myself for what it will be like to get rid of 5 stone (70 lbs) in weight.

I mean, think of it this way, I am literally shedding 'baggage'.

Of course, I am focused on how great I will feel by the end of it. To imagine myself at my goal weight in 8 months, as well as imagining even weekly progress with each weight loss improvement being celebrated and literally felt as I become lighter, I'm sure there will be plenty of good sides.

Also, even if I don't 'feel' anything as I have explained earlier, by losing the weight, I would expect I must learn to confront emotions in another way without a numbing agent.

Since I am clean, teetotal sober, as well as now removing food addiction (over eating, binge eating, comfort eating) from my life, I believe I will have to find a healthier way to cope with pain.

7cups is great for that. Talking to listeners and members here in chats and forums like this will be beneficial on my journey I am certain. I am grateful for the support I find here.

This is just where my mind is at during the start of Day 2.

I went to sleep last night quite hungry. That's when I would normally have gone for a midnight snack but I managed to avoid it. It felt good to feel slightly hungry to be honest. It means the diet is working haha.

Dropping from 3000 calories per day to 2000 calories a day will be rough at the start. But I'm sure things will balance out as my body adjusts to the new energy input and as my stomach shrinks.

Another thing that is a concern for me, in a separate issue, is recurring nightmares. I can't remember the last good dream I had. So that's affecting my mood too.

Nevertheless, I know it's very VERY early days yet, but I remain optimistic, focused, driven for my goal.

I'm looking forward to my first weigh-in on Sunday!

DIET JOURNAL: Day 2 (Afternoon)

Feeling a bit low energy today as my body adjusts to the diet. Also a bit low mood and slightly grouchy. But I reckon all of this is natural for at least the first week as I get used to the changes...

Went for a drive earlier as a passenger and was taken to McDonalds drive-thru haha Which was a challenge. Obviously, I didn't order anything. Over the next 8 months, I'm going to have one cheat meal reward every 6 weeks... I think my first cheat meal in 6 weeks' time will be KFC haha. But I have plenty of time to dream of all the possibilities...

I'm going to have to get used to 'food I can't have' being around me. For example, I might make it a habit to come down to the dinner table as my family eats and just stick to my own diet so as not to build up a sort of "food is bad" repression.

Food is fine, I'm just on a healthy diet now and choosing what is best for me and lifestyle improvement and weight loss across these 8 months. It's a choice that in the long run is so much better for me.

As I feel hunger, I also realize it's more in my brain. It's more a thought or a craving than literal hunger.

Often I find when I feel 'hungry' that about half an hour later the sensation changes and I move through it that way.

So this is also helpful. Sometimes hunger can be mistaken thirst due to dehydration too. So it's important to drink lots of water throughout this.

I am committed to this 8 month plan. My family and friends are supporting me. And I have 7cups to keep me on track!

DIET JOURNAL: Day 3 & 4

Went very well. My body is now getting used to this new diet and I am feeling good.

DIET JOURNAL: Day 5

Today was my first dodgy day. When I woke from sleep I was extremely light-hearted and low energy. But as the day progressed, I felt much better. I believe it was more due to the fact that it was exceptionally hot in my country today, hottest day on record this year or something.

So things are going well, now we're into the weekend, and I look forward to my first weigh-in on Sunday morning to see the results!

This diet is already immensely purging alot of bad stuff in my body, it feels; sort of like I'm going through a purification. I realize this is only Day 5 of 252 but I know I am on the right path and that this is doing an immense amount of healing for my body and soul.