8 Months, 8 Stone Down - My Journey (So Far)

Eight months ago, I was 25 stone (159 kg) with a body fat percentage of 34%. This morning, I weighed in at 98 kg with 23% body fat. I’m still considered “obese” by BMI standards, but I feel stronger, healthier, and more in control than I have in years.

I wanted to share my journey - not because I have all the answers, but because I know how overwhelming it can feel to start. If you’re where I was last summer, wondering where to even begin, I hope this helps.

No Gym, No Cardio, Just Habits

The first thing people ask me is “What workout plan did you follow?” but the truth is - I didn’t. For the first 2-3 months, I didn’t step foot in a gym or do a single run. I focused entirely on building habits around food. Exercise is great, but I knew if I wanted to lose weight and keep it off, my diet had to be the foundation.

I started tracking everything I ate in MyFitnessPal. No matter how bad a day was, I logged it. Seeing the numbers helped keep me accountable and made me more aware of what I was actually consuming. No more “I barely ate today” moments when the app told me otherwise.

Discovering Keto (and Learning Along the Way)

I didn’t start keto on day one. At first, I was just reducing calories and making better choices. But I quickly noticed that whenever I ate more carbs, I got hungry again fast. My cravings would spike, and I’d end up thinking about food all day.

That’s when I started looking into keto. Cutting carbs felt extreme at first, but after a couple of weeks, I realized something:

1. I wasn’t constantly hungry.
2. I had more energy.
3. My cravings were gone.

I stuck with it because it worked for me. Over time, I refined things - focusing on protein, adjusting fat intake, and making sure I was getting enough electrolytes. I even hit some plateaus along the way (which were frustrating), but instead of quitting, I tweaked my approach and kept moving forward.

Tracking = Accountability

One of the biggest game-changers for me has been consistency with tracking. Some days weren’t perfect, but I never let a bad day turn into a bad week. I used MyFitnessPal to keep myself accountable and track progress beyond just the scale - like my body fat percentage and how my clothes fit.

Where I’m At Now

Weight: 98 kg

Body fat: 23%

Total lost: 8 stone (50+ kg)

Still going.

I’m not done yet. BMI still says I’m obese, but I know I’ve come a long way. The biggest win? I feel in control now. I’ve built habits that I know I can stick to for life.

If you’re just starting - don’t overcomplicate it. Track what you eat. Build habits first. Learn as you go. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to keep going.