I'm starting this blog entry because many people have asked me the same question - how did you manage to lose so much weight? And therefore, I thought it's time I write an entry to share with everyone who's keen to know about my weight loss journey.
Disclaimer
First of all, I am not a professional fitness trainer or nutritionist/dietician so whatever I'm sharing here may not be exactly professional advice that is applicable to you. If you have serious health concerns, it is best to consult doctors. :)
My motivation
Many have asked, "What drives you to embark on this weight loss journey?" In all honesty, losing weight has always been on my mind and is always my New Year Resolution. Haha...yes, the fact that it's always my New Year Resolution will tell you much about the fact that I had never fulfilled this resolution. I remembered that in 2014, I made this same 'New Year Resolution' in front of all my EL dept staff during our first EL meeting of the year. Well, I managed to lose around 8kg (which was hardly noticeable by colleagues and friends) through changing my dietary habits but very soon, I put on 8kg again. I believe I wasn't determined then. In 2015, again, I made the same resolution and this time because I was emplaced on MLS, a leadership course for 17 weeks, I was in better control of my diet and fitness routine. This is in part due to the fact that I binge when I feel stressed and apparently, I am rather stress-free during MLS. It thus allowed me the time and space to focus on my weight loss journey. Thereafter, it's all about sustainability. :)
What exactly did I do to lose weight?
I know this is of great interest to many, particularly ladies or mothers who are overweight like how I used to be. In order to lose weight, first of all, you must know your body well. You must know your body limits and your dietary habits well. For instance, I was once rather sporty, playing netball for school teams in primary and secondary schools, and JC. I've also learnt pilates before so I know how to train my core and perform stretches safely. It was thus relatively easier for me to kickstart my fitness regime again even though I had been inactive for a few months or years. As for dietary habits, I know exactly what caused me to be FAT. This is very important because different body types do react differently to different types of food. I'm a CARBO, SUGAR and JUNK FOOD eater. Therefore, cutting down on carbs, sugar and junk food naturally will help me to lose weight rapidly.
Change in dietary habits (Jan - June 2015)
For a start, I eliminated sugary stuff entirely. This means no sugared drinks or sweet desserts such as cakes, ice cream, biscuits etc. I drink only water or green tea without sugar. Sometimes I would have my Teh O Kosong too. I was so strict that I don't even eat fruits (now I do though). I also stopped eating rice and noodles. My carbs come mainly from bread in the morning or noon (for lunch). Also, I was very particular about the type of bread I eat. Forget about wholemeal or whole wheat etc. Check the calories and carbs of the bread you purchase. Go for lower carbs and calories. Some of you may wonder by now if I do feel hungry? Frankly, I only felt hungry in the initial two weeks. Subsequently, my body got used to it. I also increased my protein intake: eggs, nuts, fish (salmon is my favourite), chicken etc. Protein keeps me satiated for a longer period of time and thus I do not have cravings for the wrong type of food. I've read a study once about the fact that as one eats less carbs, one would have less craving for carbs. I've tried this and it's very true. I maintain this very strict diet for the initial three months. Subsequently, I do indulge in sweet treats or sometimes carbs such as rice or noodles once in a while. Still, I try to make sure the I don't eat carbs for dinner.
A fitness regime (March - Present)
Contrary to what many have thought, I didn't kickstart a fitness regime at the beginning of my weight loss journey. This is because I hope to get used to the new diet first lest I may feel so hungry that I start gorging myself with food again. Another reason is I hoped to reduce weight first before I start exercising so that it's easier to exercise without those extra kilos that weigh me down. Therefore, after losing my first 8kg, I decided to include fitness activities in my weight loss journey. This is also mainly due to a weight plateau which I experienced in March.
What is my fitness regime like?
When I started off in March, I jogged on my home treadmill (yes, finally not a white elephant anymore!) for about three times a week, for 3km each time. I was able to do it partly because I used to be physically active in schools. Please start slow if you are not a sports enthusiast. Gradually, I increased the distance and intensity of my jogs. Today, I am able to jog for 4 to 5 times a week, clocking around 5km for each run. Occasionally when I feel tired due to a long day at work, I would do a 2.4km run instead. It is good to vary the pace and distance of you run to boost your metabolism rate. In addition to jogging, I have also incorporated some basic mat exercises to build some muscles because muscles do help to increase your resting metabolism rate, allowing you to burn more calories even when you aren't exercising. For mat exercises, I do planks, bridge and crunches. For planks (the basic one), I started with 3 reps of 20 seconds and today, I could do 3 reps of 1 min 30 secs. For crunches, I started off with 30 and today I could do a 100. Usually I would do these after each jog at home or at the gym.
My after-thoughts...
Frankly, when I first embarked on my weight loss journey, I didn't expect I would lose 17kg in 7 months! The first goal I set for myself was to attain a healthy BMI. I was in the overweight range with a BMI of 27.3! When I first attained a healthy BMI, I felt really proud of myself. As my fitness level improves daily, I feel even more motivated to exercise and therefore I continue to lose more weight. Now if I ever continue to lose weight, it's probably due to exercise and not my dietary habits because I'm kind of more relaxed with food intake now. That said, I'm happy with my current weight and I am not aiming to lose further weight. I just hope to maintain my current weight and fitness regime.
Here's some advice to those who are serious about losing weight...
1. Please be realistic. If you aren't overweight, you will not lose much weight even if you follow what I've shared above. It's easier for overweight people to shed those pounds in any weight loss programme.
2. Do NOT consume any pills that claim to boost your metabolism or block carbs. This is not the way to sustain a fit and healthy lifestyle. Make changes to your dietary habits and start exercising instead.
3. Once again, you must know yourself well. There's no point cutting carbs when you're already eating very little carbs. You need to know what makes you fat in the first place and eliminate or reduce that particular food intake.
4. Regarding exercising, always start slow and increase your level of fitness activity gradually.
5. BE and STAY determined. Don't invent excuses for yourself. That said, you should be able to discern what's an excuse and what's a genuine reason for not being able to do the above.
