40 lbs Lost for My 40th

Existential Crisis Alert!

Got back to logging my food at Christmas 2020 with my 40th Birthday half a year away. My goal was to be sub-10% BF and I charted my course by simplifying it down to concentrating on calorie intake and challenging myself to work on a new Bodyweight Skill each month, as well as 30 to 90 minute walks outside most days.

212 to 187 before a 2 week vacation in March where I concentrated on weight maintainance while enjoying myself, and I returned still 187.

Added Weight Training back in the gym in April, a weekly Lane Swim in May, and hoping to add a weekly Boxing Class when everything opens back up later this month.

If you'd have told me at Christmas that I could even get under 180 lbs, which I haven't been in 20 years, I wouldn't have believed you.

6.5 months and I've gone from 212/16.9% to 172/ 7.2% (according to my scale, I know it's probably not that low if I were to get a caliper test) and the most mind blowing thing to me is how much I've increased my daily caloric intake as I've gotten leaner and I'm still dropping bodyfat.

All 3 weeks before my 40th. :)

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Replies

  • Tic78
    Tic78 Posts: 232 Member
    Great result. Happy birthday when it comes. What height are you out of curiosity
  • NoelKingwell
    NoelKingwell Posts: 6 Member
    edited July 2021
    Thanks :)

    I used to claim to be 6' but recently I've had 2 separate Doctors assure me that I am indeed closer to 5'11". lol
  • Tic78
    Tic78 Posts: 232 Member
    How many years have you lifted? I had a similar goal a few years ago. I got there but with the gym shut for over a year I blew it and now have about 30lbs to lose (for the fourth time!!!!)
  • NoelKingwell
    NoelKingwell Posts: 6 Member
    edited July 2021
    I started going to the gym in my teens and worked and managed gyms in my mid-20s. As an adult, I've yoyo'd up and down to as heavy as 230. I got into decent shape about 7 years ago and have maintained 190-200 until the pandemic. I just don't have the attention span or patience to hit the gym for longer than a half-hour, so I've been circuit training since April and following it up with a nice, long, brisk hike outside. Here's an Instagram post of my workout.

    I'm glad I waited to add the lifting until I was 3 months in and had my eating on point this time around. I always found that lifting made me hungrier, which made it harder not to blow up my menu with cheat meals that turned into cheat days that turned into cheat weeks, etc. lol

    Now, I've changed my thinking from "watching" what I'm eating, to "knowing" what I'm eating and it's made it a lot easier to stick with my daily calorie intake.
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  • Tic78
    Tic78 Posts: 232 Member
    Checked out the videos thanks for sharing. Not sure I will be able to do a frog push up anytime soon!

    I know what you mean about cheat days turning into weeks. I had a cheat year with the pandemic. Calories went from 2100 a day to 4000 lol. Now I have to pay that price and am back at 2200 now.

    40th birthday cakes don't have calories just so you know
  • yweight2020
    yweight2020 Posts: 591 Member
    Awesome job, Happy birthday 🤗🥳♥️
  • FABRICWOMAN
    FABRICWOMAN Posts: 539 Member
    Happy birthday. Wozza yozza, what a transformation. Keep up the good work.
  • happimess01
    happimess01 Posts: 9,074 Member
    What a legend! Congrats! How many calories were you eating? How much was your deficit? Thanks!
  • NoelKingwell
    NoelKingwell Posts: 6 Member
    @Tic78 Fingers crossed I don't eat myself into a sugar coma! Lol

    @happimess01 I started out at 1700-1800 and have increased to 2100, 100 Cal's at a time, as my activity increased and my bodyfat dropped. If I have to guess, I'll end up around 2500 for maintenance. Increasing incrementally until I find that equalibrium.
  • cymande1961
    cymande1961 Posts: 45 Member
    Excellent commitment - and Happy Birthday!
  • Tic78
    Tic78 Posts: 232 Member
    Well done and Happy Birthday. Still on the way back down here but will get back there 💪
  • TannerBoyl
    TannerBoyl Posts: 55 Member
    That is so awesome! Congratulations on achieving your goals! All that hard work and consistency paid off!
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