2 years ago, at my heaviest weight, I was 330 pounds. I started to gain weight when I left my hometown for a job and eating is my only way of coping with the stress of work and living alone. I didn’t care about my weight then. Years passed, I noticed that my clothes don’t fit me anymore. I remember how hard it was for me to find clothes, but I am so stoked whenever I do, I thought I looked great! Sadly whenever I look at the photos, I am mortified with what I see. I started to feel depressed. I was close to not give a hoot and just accept myself that way. Until one night, I was driving on my way home from a celebration where I had so much to eat, I suffered an excruciating pain in my chest. It was so painful I couldn’t move around. I rushed to a nearby hospital to have myself checked. In panic, I thought I was having a heart attack. I was scared and to be honest I thought I was going to die. Breathing got hard for me and my vision started to blur. Fortunately, I was only diagnosed with acid reflux and the pain I felt in my chest was heart burn. That situation was my ‘CLICK’. It was that moment when I have finally decided that I’m done being stubborn, that I’m done being FAT! I told myself that I don’t want to die young. So the day after that incident, I did a morning cardio and enrolled myself to a boxing gym. I changed my eating habit, even my diet. I gave up all unhealthy stuff, especially junk food and soda. After religiously doing all these, in just a year, I lost 100lbs. As of today, I’m 125 pounds lighter and I’ve never felt any better. What amazes me most is that back then, I was in class 3 obesity. But after losing so much weight, I looked at my latest BMI and to my surprise, I’m no longer obese! Imagine if I never changed for the better, where would I be now? They say, sometimes you have to learn the hard way. Not everybody has to but there are people like me who has to, so that you won’t have to and learn from our experience.
10 Weight Loss Tips:
1. First, find the reason why you want to lose weight. Back when I was still obese, I’ve had several health issues like Hypertension, High Cholesterol, High Blood Sugar, GERD/Acid Reflux and Acne problems which I think are enough reasons to change my way of eating and be more active. Plus, I remember really wanting to be in “style” but I couldn’t because I was too big. It’s funny how something so small can be a huge motivation.
2. Eat right. Diet simply requires you to eat less. This is a great opportunity to ELIMINATE all unhealthy food such as junk/fast foods, processed food and soda. Instead, fill your diet with nutrient dense food which is low in calories but very high in nutrients.
3. Pick a daily physical activity that you actually like! Anything that you can do for an hour a few times a week like weightlifting, running, biking, swimming or boxing. For those who have health issues, consult your doctor first before doing intense workouts.
4. Drink plenty of water. We often think we’re hungry when our bodies are actually just begging for water. So it’s important to drink enough water throughout the day to stay hydrated. Before you eat something, drink some water and ask yourself if you’re truly hungry, go on a quick walk outside or around the office or just wait 20 minutes or so before eating.
5. Keep a food diary. I honestly enjoy this part because it helps me see my weaknesses in my routine. You may not realize it right away, but over time, your food diary will actually make you want to eat healthier. Every time you write down a food that has a lot of calories in it, you'll want to avoid doing it in the future. Your food diary can actually help you to look at food in a whole new way.
6. Get active with your friends. Getting fit with a friend gives you a moral obligation to turn up. Plus, you’re going to push yourself a bit harder when you’re with someone else, even it’s jogging to the next lamp post instead of copping out and walking. Exercise can be exhausting but one way to enjoy it is to do it with them.
7. Figure out if you’re hungry or just bored. It may sound funny but this is actually true especially when you’re at home sitting on that comfy couch while binge watching your favorite TV series.
8. Track your progress! Get your measurements. Record your weight and if possible, write down your physical measurements and statistics. Take photos of yourself regularly to observe the development. It’s important that you have all these information with you before you start your fitness journey so you can keep track of your progress.
9. Set and go after a goal. Setting a fitness goal gives you a specific purpose for your workouts and the satisfaction once you’ve completed it. Whether it’s deciding to run your first half marathon or completing 50 push-ups without stopping, a challenge might be just what you need to get out of a fitness rut.
10. Lastly, don’t beat yourself up. Enjoy the process! Remember that it doesn’t happen overnight. Living a healthier lifestyle is a process. You’ll slip in one point or another — we all will! The best thing to remember is not to let small setbacks define you, but to just keep on going.
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