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SteveEighty
Posts: 21 Member
How I lost 80 pounds and managed to maintain my eight.
This is a message of support and encouragement for all of you who are trying to lose some serious weight, 4 stone +.
20 years ago, at the age of thirty, I was 9.5 stone and a sporty type, mainly swimming and running. Unfortunately, I let myself go big time after experiencing severe stress of a professional nature for years and I subsequently adopted an inappropriate lifestyle. Before I knew it, 10 years later (in 2004), I weighed in at 16 stone.
In 2006, I managed to lose 4 stone, in 4 months. It was incredibly hard work and I was very proud of myself for achieving such a feat. Unfortunately, because I had no firm maintenance plan in place, I put it all back on within 18 months.
At that point, I thought I would never ever be the slim Steve I was at 30. I thought I would never ever have the determination to do it all over again.
In January 2014, I was over 16 stone (for 5 ft 6) and crippled with back pains, knee pains, ankle pains, etc. You name it, I had it. I could barely bend over to tie up my shoes. I felt like a wreck, mentally and physically. Out of desperation, I bought an exercise bike, more as an afterthought than anything else.
Two days later, I'd done 30 miles and I was hooked. I then started to eat very healthily (no more than 1.000-1.200 cals/day) and be obsessed about my weight, every hour of the day. It is this obsession that carried me through. On my exercise bike, to motivate me, I'd taped 2 pictures of me: one when I was slim, and the other one as me, a fat pig. The contrast was horrendous.
This is what I used to say to myself while pedalling away: You ARE A FAT PIG. I needed this sort of mental trick to motivate myself for such a long time. When you have nearly 6 stone to lose, you need shock treatment. That's what worked for me anyhow, might not be for everybody.
I had come to hate my body in order to succeed and I felt I needed to tell myself that, instead of the mollycoddling ways that well-meaning relatives and friends have with grossly overweight people ("You're curvy", etc.). People mean well because they do not want to offend or hurt, but it is counter-productive on the whole. I do not blame them, you cannot say to someone: "You're a fat pig and need to lose 50, 60, 80 pounds" but you can gently influence them to think this way. That is precisely what my (slim) wife did. When I understood her message, I finally clicked.
Within less than 6 months, I'd lost 80 pounds. I feel so much better, physically and mentally.
Since July, I have managed to keep the weight off through careful eating and exercise. I'm now 10'3 (BMI: 23) and plan to stay that weight. After failing in my first attempt in 2006, I know now that I will succeed in my goal to stay slim and healthy. I've got a plan and I stick to it.
You Can Do It. Don't Give Up.
This is a message of support and encouragement for all of you who are trying to lose some serious weight, 4 stone +.
20 years ago, at the age of thirty, I was 9.5 stone and a sporty type, mainly swimming and running. Unfortunately, I let myself go big time after experiencing severe stress of a professional nature for years and I subsequently adopted an inappropriate lifestyle. Before I knew it, 10 years later (in 2004), I weighed in at 16 stone.
In 2006, I managed to lose 4 stone, in 4 months. It was incredibly hard work and I was very proud of myself for achieving such a feat. Unfortunately, because I had no firm maintenance plan in place, I put it all back on within 18 months.
At that point, I thought I would never ever be the slim Steve I was at 30. I thought I would never ever have the determination to do it all over again.
In January 2014, I was over 16 stone (for 5 ft 6) and crippled with back pains, knee pains, ankle pains, etc. You name it, I had it. I could barely bend over to tie up my shoes. I felt like a wreck, mentally and physically. Out of desperation, I bought an exercise bike, more as an afterthought than anything else.
Two days later, I'd done 30 miles and I was hooked. I then started to eat very healthily (no more than 1.000-1.200 cals/day) and be obsessed about my weight, every hour of the day. It is this obsession that carried me through. On my exercise bike, to motivate me, I'd taped 2 pictures of me: one when I was slim, and the other one as me, a fat pig. The contrast was horrendous.
This is what I used to say to myself while pedalling away: You ARE A FAT PIG. I needed this sort of mental trick to motivate myself for such a long time. When you have nearly 6 stone to lose, you need shock treatment. That's what worked for me anyhow, might not be for everybody.
I had come to hate my body in order to succeed and I felt I needed to tell myself that, instead of the mollycoddling ways that well-meaning relatives and friends have with grossly overweight people ("You're curvy", etc.). People mean well because they do not want to offend or hurt, but it is counter-productive on the whole. I do not blame them, you cannot say to someone: "You're a fat pig and need to lose 50, 60, 80 pounds" but you can gently influence them to think this way. That is precisely what my (slim) wife did. When I understood her message, I finally clicked.
Within less than 6 months, I'd lost 80 pounds. I feel so much better, physically and mentally.
Since July, I have managed to keep the weight off through careful eating and exercise. I'm now 10'3 (BMI: 23) and plan to stay that weight. After failing in my first attempt in 2006, I know now that I will succeed in my goal to stay slim and healthy. I've got a plan and I stick to it.
You Can Do It. Don't Give Up.
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Replies
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Good for you!0
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Good job with a good long term plan.0
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thats great! good job!0
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Awesome work!0
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GaleHawkins wrote: »Good job with a good long term plan.
Yes, it is deffo the most important aspect of a weight-loss programme in my opinion. There is absolutely NO point whatsoever to go into such a programme with no "post-diet" plan (one that includes some serious changes in one's eating habits and lifestyle).
This is what didn't work me in 2006 (25 kilos lost and regained within 18 months), precisely because I emerged from that 4-month weight-loss prog with no solid intention to change.0
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