45lbs down some pics

barrattandrew · March 2013

Hi everyone, weighed in yesterday and looks like I've dropped about 45lbs since I started tracking properly. Have been up and down a bit with my weight. Similar story to many men I suppose. Was really fit before I went to university, played rugby and Taekwondo a lot. Got to Uni, and well, beer , pizza, curry, beer hit me. piled on the pounds, tried the old Atkins approach a few years later and lost a bit only to gain it all again and probably more.

I've a pretty hectic work life that involves lots of travel and often eating in hotels and had basically started to build more and more excuses up. Got up to about 18.5 stone / 117kg / 259lbs (think thats all regions covered

Carried on regardless. Not smart really. Last year my father was diagnosed with cancer, and watching him fight through the chemo losing lots of his overall body mass, and still coming out smiling I realised that if he can get through that I've got to be able to get my own *kitten* in gear.

So I did.

Nothing major - I've not suddenly become an olympian, I've just tried to maintain a good calorie deficit, track everything I eat save up calories for a chinese or other take-away. Started to introduce a bit more exercise into my schedule, and do a bit of lifting. Will start more compound lifting soon - should be good for me.
Introduced a lot more protein into my diet as it seems to keep me fuller for longer, and also generally feel better!

Anyway here are the progress pics :-

Weight - circa 260lbs I think

Weight a little less here - but not entirely sure as I wasn't tracking soon enough!

Weight here shows an improvement probably down about 7 kilos here

And as of yesterday I'm now 95kg roughly.

a little bit of bicep showing too (im no SideSteel - but he's a great advisor)

My tips really are :-

1) Don't weigh yourself too often. - one of the best feelings I'd had was when I weighed in and had dropped 11lbs. Having not weighed for a while (my Wii fit tracks it all which is handy).
2) Try to balance protein intake with good fats / carbs and cut down sugar - I seem to hit regularly
3) Change your mindset from 'being on a diet' to using systems like MFP to re-educate yourself on what you are eating.
4) Sleep more.

I've been lucky my family have been great and my wife's doesn't stress over me eating different foods!

My plan is to change slowly, so that it sticks and try to get fit enough to do a tough mudder next year. So hopefully I'll have some more progress pics to post too!

If you're looking for some extra motivation feel free to add me.

VeganVamp · March 2013

A truly amazing difference.

Well done you!

rosiereally2 · March 2013

Wow! Great progress. You look fantastic.

TriShamelessly · March 2013

Ccongrats on the success. And I bet youu could do the mudder this year!

nik2710 · March 2013

Fantastic loss. You look amazing. All your hard work is paying off.

x

dawnfto · March 2013

Congratulations on your loss, you have done so well

)

LizzyAlexandra · March 2013

Congratulations! You look great

Trimi · March 2013

Great, congratulations!

kiangel · March 2013

Looking great , well done x

cyn196890 · March 2013

wow well done ... i have just joined and u r doing so well and looking good ..

breajohnson · March 2013

Wow! Amazing job. Keep up the good work.:happy:

barrattandrew · March 2013

Thanks for all the kind words!

Realised I didn't really put a time frame down, its taken me about 4-5 months and that is mostly with tracking food and maintaining a calorie deficit rather than just hammering exercise. Although I do try to get some sort of exercise in at least once a week if I can.

Tracking the food was difficult at first but one of the things I did was get some good digital scales and they weigh out a 100g of a lot of common foods, peanuts, almonds, rice, veg etc etc so that I could visualise what the various calories looked like. Rather than eat a whole bowl full of nuts now I'll eat a small handful of almonds. I also find it really helpful to take protein shakes as I can very easily quantify their total nutritional value and I'm hoping that by keeping my protein intake at a reasonable level that I don't lose too much muscle whilst I'm losing fat. Found that making my own protein bars has been a great way to give me a sweet(ish) but healthy treat. Definitely worth having a go if you've not before.

I'm hoping that the next set of pics are able to show some body re-sculpting from a bit of lifting but just taking it all a bit at a time as you can probably just about see from the "bicep" shot that I've got plenty of stretch marks and want to keep any excess skin to a min if I can. That all being said I'm really just trying to get fitter and healthier with a bit more muscle!

haroon_awan · March 2013

Well done man, keep up the good work!

LisaLbsOff · March 2013

Excellent.. Very inspirational

AnnaVee84 · March 2013

nice job, congrats!!! keep up the great work! :bigsmile:

Boobarella2 · March 2013

You look great! and you can really notice a difference, grats!

bedazz562 · March 2013

My tips really are :-

1) Don't weigh yourself too often. - one of the best feelings I'd had was when I weighed in and had dropped 11lbs. Having not weighed for a while (my Wii fit tracks it all which is handy).
2) Try to balance protein intake with good fats / carbs and cut down sugar - I seem to hit regularly
3) Change your mindset from 'being on a diet' to using systems like MFP to re-educate yourself on what you are eating.
4) Sleep more.

My plan is to change slowly, so that it sticks and try to get fit enough to do a tough mudder next year. So hopefully I'll have some more progress pics to post too!

If you're looking for some extra motivation feel free to add me.

Cheers for the weight loss so far man!

I totally agree with your advice tips #1 and 3.

I use to weigh myself everyday, even multiple times a day and get disappointed because I wasn't dropping anything. I then switched to weighing myself weekly, or something 2x a week and that way I really am seeing a difference in losing the weight.

Also, yes my co-workers and friends asked me if I am on a diet, to which I reply "no, i've changed how I eat", which totally jives with your point 3. You have to look at it as a lifestyle change or as soon as you reach your desired goal, there is potential to gain all the weight back. Keep daily progress of what you eat (via MFP) is the best thing that has happened to me because it forces me to see WHAT I am putting into my body as opposed to blindly just eating anything and hoping for the best.

Here's to you on your continued success and becoming a healthier person!

andreagreen1974 · March 2013

Way to go!!!! Well done and you did it right!

midnite81 · March 2013

You've done well

great work.

JessicaPiche89 · March 2013

You have done really great!! Keep up the good work

beetpoet · March 2013

You have such handsome features. It's amazing how losing the pounds makes your face stand out. Keep up the great work! I love hearing about supportive families too. Thanks for putting this out there.

barrattandrew · March 2013

You have such handsome features. It's amazing how losing the pounds makes your face stand out. Keep up the great work! I love hearing about supportive families too. Thanks for putting this out there.

how very kind, thanks!

barrattandrew · March 2013

I am actually quite surprised how much the weight loss affects my face. I think I've got one of those fat-blind-brains as I'm pretty sure when I've looked in the mirror for the last few years my brain has been telling me I look the same. However when I took those photos and then started to look at them on the phone it was like that moment when you catch yourself in the mirror and your brain doesn't have chance to lie to you!

livingfortheone · March 2013

Hi everyone, weighed in yesterday and looks like I've dropped about 45lbs since I started tracking properly. Have been up and down a bit with my weight. Similar story to many men I suppose. Was really fit before I went to university, played rugby and Taekwondo a lot. Got to Uni, and well, beer , pizza, curry, beer hit me. piled on the pounds, tried the old Atkins approach a few years later and lost a bit only to gain it all again and probably more.

I've a pretty hectic work life that involves lots of travel and often eating in hotels and had basically started to build more and more excuses up. Got up to about 18.5 stone / 117kg / 259lbs (think thats all regions covered

Carried on regardless. Not smart really. Last year my father was diagnosed with cancer, and watching him fight through the chemo losing lots of his overall body mass, and still coming out smiling I realised that if he can get through that I've got to be able to get my own *kitten* in gear.

So I did.

Nothing major - I've not suddenly become an olympian, I've just tried to maintain a good calorie deficit, track everything I eat save up calories for a chinese or other take-away. Started to introduce a bit more exercise into my schedule, and do a bit of lifting. Will start more compound lifting soon - should be good for me.
Introduced a lot more protein into my diet as it seems to keep me fuller for longer, and also generally feel better!

Anyway here are the progress pics :-

Weight - circa 260lbs I think

Weight a little less here - but not entirely sure as I wasn't tracking soon enough!

Weight here shows an improvement probably down about 7 kilos here

And as of yesterday I'm now 95kg roughly.

a little bit of bicep showing too (im no SideSteel - but he's a great advisor)

My tips really are :-

1) Don't weigh yourself too often. - one of the best feelings I'd had was when I weighed in and had dropped 11lbs. Having not weighed for a while (my Wii fit tracks it all which is handy).
2) Try to balance protein intake with good fats / carbs and cut down sugar - I seem to hit regularly
3) Change your mindset from 'being on a diet' to using systems like MFP to re-educate yourself on what you are eating.
4) Sleep more.

I've been lucky my family have been great and my wife's doesn't stress over me eating different foods!

My plan is to change slowly, so that it sticks and try to get fit enough to do a tough mudder next year. So hopefully I'll have some more progress pics to post too!

If you're looking for some extra motivation feel free to add me.