6 Months In, 22 kg (48.5 pounds) Down!

Thank you so much, everyone!

Syneea wrote: »

Congratulations!! PHENOMENAL!! What resistance program did you use?!

I used a personal trainer because prior to 6 months ago, I had never lifted a dumbbell in my LIFE. I wanted to make sure my form was ok.

Anyway, she put me on a program similar to ICF 5x5 I think, and I have been doing it with her for 6 months.

The main thing I learned from doing weights for the first time is not to be afraid of lifting really heavy!

CJsf1t wrote: »

Awesome job! You look great! Thanks for all the info! I am at your start weight now. 165 is my goal too. Your success is inspiring

Thanks so much, I'm really glad to hear that! The thing that surprised me was how quickly it came off- it didn't take as long as I thought it would! You can do it!

saraghali wrote: »

Amazing...I can't believe you were 97kg. I am 180cm /97 kg and I look a way heavier:( can you please give me some tips?

A few people told me that and I think it's because I tend to carry my weight in my hips, legs and butt, not my stomach. So I can get away with being a bit heavier and not looking it (I don't know if that's a blessing or a curse!)

The best tips I can give are these:
- Don't deprive yourself of food. I lost all this eating 1700-1800 calories a day and I did it without feeling hungry. Weight loss is not about starving yourself!
- Eat lots of protein and cut the sugar to help keep you fuller for longer.
- When logging all your food, weigh EVERYTHING on a food scale and measure out all your condiments including sauces, oils, etc.
- For me, getting into the exercise was all about creating a routine, so I made sure to get up at the same time each morning to exercise, whether it be cardio or weights.
- Re liquids, drink water, black coffee or tea and limit soft drinks, juices and alcohol so you have more calories to play with for delicious, delicious food!
- Take each day at a time and try not to think about how much you have to lose overall. It will happen, it's just about consistency and patience.

Hopefully that helps!

leecha2014 wrote: »

Amazing accomplishment ! I'm curious, are you somewhat active during the day? We have similar stats however I have an office job so I'm sedentary, I have 1200 cal per day which I never accomplish. It's bothering me, I really want to know if this should be my calorie target, your was 1700? That sounds a lot better. Did you eat at a deficit? Do you think the weight lifting made a big difference? Thanks

I'm a lawyer, so I spend a lot of my working day sitting down in front of a desk or at court. I get my exercise done early in the morning at about 6am before work.

What is your height and how much do you weigh? People always talk about 1200 cals being the magic number but unless you're tiny, it may be too low. If your stats are similar to mine, then I suggest giving my calorie range (1700-1850 l) a try. I just think of it like this: do it if you can handle it in the long term. If 1200 cals per day is something you can rarely accomplish, never mind in the long term, then it's probably too low for you. It's not a race!

I did eat at a deficit of about 500 cals a day (but it's probably a bit higher than this because I don't log my exercise and I don't eat back my calories).

Weight lifting made a huge difference, I think! Creating more muscle mass means that my body is burning calories at a high rate, even when I'm not exercising. It's pretty awesome!

Thanks so much to everyone for your kind words and support! It really means a lot to me