Reflections on a 200lb weight loss

Hello everyone,

I figured it would be healthy to kind of decompress after hitting my goal this week. Just as an overview, I weighted 440lbs (I'm 6 foot 6) on Feb. 1st of 2013 and began my diet then. Today, I weighed in at 240lb's, so I lost 200lb's right at 13 1/2 months. I didn't have weight loss surgery and decided to do it after fracturing two vertebrae in my back after being struck by a car and the embarrassment of driving 45 mins to a MRI location that had a table that would hold me I decided enough was enough. (P.S - I wrote this a few weeks ago so some of the reflections are a few weeks old after I've hit my goal)

Below are reflections from my weight loss.


1) I was very disciplined, I ate the same foods sometimes for a meal for 60-90 days in a row if it was working, I truly ate to live vs lived to eat, I ate at my calorie goal and if I had one cheat day per month it was an off month. If you want to lose as much weight as I did, as quickly as I did, then discipline is absolute key in my opinion.

2) I saw a nutritionist monthly, I almost used her as a therapist of sorts, it also helped me be accountable to my weight loss, I wanted to perform well and didn't want the embarrassment of not losing when weighing in there weekly. One thing I would definitely suggest, is make sure its a registered dietician that's affiliated with your local hospital, someone reputable, not one of those weight loss clinic things. Getting meal plans that worked with the foods I liked helped tremendously, I eat out probably 90% of my meals so understanding how to analyze my meals etc helped. I would highly recommend finding a good nutritionist if you're serious about losing weight long term.

3) Early on I was working out however I started plateauing badly after I started so I stopped and focused purely on my diet and eating right. In hindsight, I should have done both at the same time even if it meant losing weight slower. Admittedly, I have zero patience and am compulsive, had I seen the forest through the trees I probably could have saved some muscle and toned up some loose skin in the process.

4) Understand you're losing weight for your health and not for appearances with your clothes off.. I look good with clothes on but with clothes off? Not so much.. LOL. Luckily for me I've been married for 17 years and intend to stay that way until I die. It is a bit of a shock to see the skin sometimes but eh.. it's the cross I bare and is a good reminder to focus on continued healthy eating. I'm sure as I transition to fitness it will help a bit but don't be discouraged and focus on the positive aspects.

5) Admittedly I've developed an eating disorder, I crave cheat days but when I do have a cheat day I beat myself up over it for days and make myself miserable ruining the beauty of food. I'm working on this currently, but its very hard for me to "enjoy" food any more, I almost look at it as the enemy.. Not good but a work in progress.

6) I wasn't happy unless I was dropping 12+lbs per month, I started pulling back on calories below my goal of 2lb's per week target to increase weight loss, but never below 1300-1400 etc (see eating disorder issues) In hindsight, and my advice to anyone else is to focus on losing weight monthly, make it a journey not a race like I did. Although I'm happy to have lost the weight I feel like I created some additional issues in the process because I didn't enjoy the journey.

7) It feels great to lose weight, have people notice and to actually not shop in big and tall etc. It's incredibly uplifting to feel good about yourself.. I know this weight loss journey is tough but it will be worth it if you focus and hit your goals.

8) If your spouse also happens to be overweight and you're doing better than her or she is struggling and your not then you've got to ensure that you're not imposing on her. Admittedly I was on my wife's case because she as disciplined as me or making the progress I was, it caused tension between us. Its not that I was on her case from a looks perspective (I wasn't) I love her regardless, I just wanted her to feel the same joys I did. In hindsight I just needed to be supportive and be there when she needed me.

9) I went from a 5XLT shirt to a 1XLT, size 54 pants to a size 34.

10) You will be "lost" as you approach your goal. I won't say I've lost my drive, I haven't.. it's just that after working so hard at something and then achieving it is a humbling experience. My plan is to replace the weight loss drive with cardio/weights but I've honestly felt like I lost a piece of me (no pun intended) now that I have hit my goal.

I'm sure there is more but I can't think of anything that pops out. I wrote this just more as a confessional reflection than anything. If one person finds it helpful then I'm happy. I'd also be glad to answer any questions any one may have, feel free to respond and I'll do my best. I'm by no means an expert but did manage to knock of the weight!