From fat to lean (photos included)

Am 23 years old and 5' 6. I started at 187 pounds with around 40% body fat (I got weighed, professionally scanned and measured etc.) I eventually began controlling my portion sizes, drinking more water, meditating (which reduced my stress by a long shot), and ate closer to nature. Some people may think, "Closer to nature? But it's calories in vs calories out that matter." Yes, calorie reduction can indeed lead to weight loss but the healthier they are, the better. Not only will you get the nutrients you need but you'll feel more energized and healthy in general, and also a better immune system (I very rarely get sick now). Of course it's fine to have desserts and junk here and there but if that's ALL you eat, getting in shape will be harder to achieve. Anyways, not only did I eat healthier with better portion control but I began resistance training (squats, lifting weights, using weight machines at gyms, etc). It's a benefit because resistance training helps build muscle and muscle is a natural fat burner even when inactive. It's been over a year (but under 2) and I've lost over 60 pounds and nearly half of my body fat (I got a second professional scan). I stopped focusing on the scale and now I just measure myself. I plan to get a couple of scans each year to see how well I'm maintaining my current body fat %. Point being is to eat healthy at least a good amount of the time, to exercise, measure, and get body fat checked. It's definitely better than just focusing on the scale numbers. When those new clothes fit and your body is more firm, that's when you pat yourself on the back regardless of how much/little weight you lost. Once again, I didn't count a single calorie.


Ps- the reason I cropped my face out of each pic is because I'm a bit private with pics, mostly due to my bad acne. Yes, I'm prone to acne (am starting to think my case is genetic). Am currently using acne treatment and hoping for the best.