8 Months, 8 Stone Down - My Journey (So Far)

1191sawk

Eight months ago, I was 25 stone (159 kg) with a body fat percentage of 34%. This morning, I weighed in at 98 kg with 23% body fat. I’m still considered “obese” by BMI standards, but I feel stronger, healthier, and more in control than I have in years.

I wanted to share my journey - not because I have all the answers, but because I know how overwhelming it can feel to start. If you’re where I was last summer, wondering where to even begin, I hope this helps.

No Gym, No Cardio, Just Habits

The first thing people ask me is “What workout plan did you follow?” but the truth is - I didn’t. For the first 2-3 months, I didn’t step foot in a gym or do a single run. I focused entirely on building habits around food. Exercise is great, but I knew if I wanted to lose weight and keep it off, my diet had to be the foundation.

I started tracking everything I ate in MyFitnessPal. No matter how bad a day was, I logged it. Seeing the numbers helped keep me accountable and made me more aware of what I was actually consuming. No more “I barely ate today” moments when the app told me otherwise.

Discovering Keto (and Learning Along the Way)

I didn’t start keto on day one. At first, I was just reducing calories and making better choices. But I quickly noticed that whenever I ate more carbs, I got hungry again fast. My cravings would spike, and I’d end up thinking about food all day.

That’s when I started looking into keto. Cutting carbs felt extreme at first, but after a couple of weeks, I realized something:

1. I wasn’t constantly hungry.
2. I had more energy.
3. My cravings were gone.

I stuck with it because it worked for me. Over time, I refined things - focusing on protein, adjusting fat intake, and making sure I was getting enough electrolytes. I even hit some plateaus along the way (which were frustrating), but instead of quitting, I tweaked my approach and kept moving forward.

Tracking = Accountability

One of the biggest game-changers for me has been consistency with tracking. Some days weren’t perfect, but I never let a bad day turn into a bad week. I used MyFitnessPal to keep myself accountable and track progress beyond just the scale - like my body fat percentage and how my clothes fit.

Where I’m At Now

Weight: 98 kg

Body fat: 23%

Total lost: 8 stone (50+ kg)

Still going.

I’m not done yet. BMI still says I’m obese, but I know I’ve come a long way. The biggest win? I feel in control now. I’ve built habits that I know I can stick to for life.

If you’re just starting - don’t overcomplicate it. Track what you eat. Build habits first. Learn as you go. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to keep going.

totameafox

I stated this in your intro post. But I'll post here to… AWESOME WORK!

superninzo

Thank you for sharing your insight and progress with us! Really impressive! Keep up the great work!

Jthanmyfitnesspal

@1191sawk : Really awesome. Take a victory lap! And, don't let the BMI chart overrule your own judgement!

pjhawk1

Wow, now you have a waistline and muscles. Fantastic. Very encouraging to me, I'm just starting for the 100th time and I want to get rid of my ugly belly. You look so fit and trim, very encouraging.

lisakatz2

You look great! What does a typical day of eating look like to you, as a keto-dieter?

elisa123gal

Your advice does help. Thank you. You look really good.. and don't look obese (hate that word). but you've come a long way.. congratulations on finding what worked for you.