On January 1st 2013, like so many people all over the world I took that pledge of getting back to my healthy weight.
Ever since I’ve not missed a single week of weight lifting, running and swimming.
In the process I’ve tried different diets like controlling portion sizes, diets where you eat only during certain hours but then you have to fast, but all of that is simply unsustainable and you gain the weight right back. My biggest achievement with those “diets” was just going from 200lbs to 196lbs, despite all the hard work at the gym, despite running 6 to 8 miles (I like running) several times a week, I’d just gain the weight back.
So then I read about the Paleo diet, and some of the things in that diet don’t really convince me very much (like not eating beans for example), so I started a Paleo-ish diet with a simple rule: Eat as much as you need but whatever it is you put in your body it has to be non-processed, it has to be natural and organic if possible. I’m now like a vegetarian that adds beef, chicken or fish on the other half of the plate.
This meant basically getting rid of bread, pasta, white rice, and lowering my cheese and milk consumption (but I think I’ll be bringing back milk since I’m lactose tolerant something which I’ve confirmed with a genome scan)
In only 4 weeks of eating lean meats, a lot of vegetables and fruits to accompany the meats I’ve finally lost 10lbs and after a run this morning for the first time in about 3 years I saw my weight into the high 180s (188).
I’ve found that this simple rule has controlled my appetite, I get full with less food, and since I’m eating so healthy now I don’t feel guilty if I eat something outside of the diet whenever the opportunity is presented, I just have this mentality now of seeing some things as “not food” and I just don’t put it in my body anymore. It’s as if my palate has been retrained after just 4 weeks.
In the process I’ve learned to cook a bit more, and now I find it very enjoyable the act of cooking, specially with other people in the kitchen.
If you’re struggling with weight, stop putting poison in your body, working out will only make you stronger and agile, more toned, but you won’t lose any weight. It’s absolutely true when they say eating is 80% of the weight loss equation.
Eat natural, be kind to your body.
Once I reach the first goal of 175 lbs I’ll post pictures of how I looked on Jan 1st, and how I’ll look then, I’ll try to wear the same clothes.
The final goal will be to reach my natural weight of about 165 lbs.