my final weight loss journey?

Week 9: 88.0 kg.

I don't know what it is about Mondays, but I'm always heavier during my "official" weigh-in. However, I'm not really concerned about the number on the scale. What truly matters is that I'm getting slimmer each week.

This journey has become so much more than just about losing weight. It has opened my eyes to a healthier lifestyle. I've completely overhauled my diet. No more processed foods for me.

I focus on avoiding carbohydrates and sugars. Although they have fewer calories per gram than fat, the hormonal reactions they cause – spikes in insulin – contribute to weight gain rather than weight loss. Don't get me wrong, I still do eat my veggies. I just avoid eating naked carbs.

Previously, the quality of my food was poor... mostly processed and never organic. I didn't consider how my eating habits affected my blood sugar as I just ate whatever I wanted. Now, I pay close attention to it, and I hope I'll never go back to my old habits.

 
Prose said:
I don't turn down food, not at social events. If someone offers me something to eat, I'm usually going to have a bite.
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This may be worth revisiting. At some point, you may decide that you want to value yourself over everything else.

Best wishes.
 
Week 10: 88.6 kg.

I ate a lot because I felt hungry quite often. Not physically, but mentally. I just couldn't fall asleep without some food in my stomach. But worry not, I'm still staying away from the unhealthy kind of food.

Jesse said:
This may be worth revisiting. At some point, you may decide that you want to value yourself over everything else.

Best wishes.
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Thanks. We all know that you're right.
 
Prose said:
Thanks. We all know that you're right.
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I'll offer this, and hopefully it will be of some use to you or someone else who reads this.

I have a close friend of about 20 years, and she's a very obese woman (about average height and around 110kg) who comes from a family of very obese people. When her and her family would go out to eat, she would normally get a big burger, fries, huge amount of pasta, that kind of thing.

She decided to try to make a change on more than one occasion. Each time, the next time they went out to eat, she would order something like chicken breast and veggies. Long story short, each time, they were hostile about it, and she went back to eating what she was eating before.

She's headed toward diabetes and a knee replacement. She's not even 40 years old.

If she wants to be around her family, then until she's ready to stand the line to the point of making a scene in a restaurant every single time someone even remotely presses the issue, she's never going to get a better result.

Best wishes.
 
Jesse said:
I'll offer this, and hopefully it will be of some use to you or someone else who reads this.

I have a close friend of about 20 years, and she's a very obese woman (about average height and around 110kg) who comes from a family of very obese people. When her and her family would go out to eat, she would normally get a big burger, fries, huge amount of pasta, that kind of thing.

She decided to try to make a change on more than one occasion. Each time, the next time they went out to eat, she would order something like chicken breast and veggies. Long story short, each time, they were hostile about it, and she went back to eating what she was eating before.

She's headed toward diabetes and a knee replacement. She's not even 40 years old.

If she wants to be around her family, then until she's ready to stand the line to the point of making a scene in a restaurant every single time someone even remotely presses the issue, she's never going to get a better result.

Best wishes.
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Thank you for sharing that story. Type 2 diabetes is no joke.

I feel fortunate and grateful that there's no obesity in my family and that nobody shames me for choosing to refrain from certain types of food or beverages.

Everyone who knows about my current weight loss journey has been supportive. My close friends might clown me a bit, but I know that's just brotherly love. I clown them back an equal amount.

Eating carbohydrates at these social gatherings has always been my own choice and an opportunity for me to talk about the negative effects too many carbs have on blood sugar. I always let them know that I'm currently trying to lower my insulin resistance to avoid getting hyperinsulinemia or T2D.

Eating a slice of cake or some bread once or twice a month hasn't had much effect on me. It's not something that I truly enjoy doing. On the contrary, I feel like it has made it easier for me to stick to my own plan when I cook food for myself at home.

I haven't had any cravings. I have even managed to quit drinking diet sodas and energy drinks. I was addicted to that stuff from my childhood.
 
Prose said:
Thank you for sharing that story. Type 2 diabetes is no joke.

I feel fortunate and grateful that there's no obesity in my family and that nobody shames me for choosing to refrain from certain types of food or beverages.

Everyone who knows about my current weight loss journey has been supportive. My close friends might clown me a bit, but I know that's just brotherly love. I clown them back an equal amount.

Eating carbohydrates at these social gatherings has always been my own choice and an opportunity for me to talk about the negative effects too many carbs have on blood sugar. I always let them know that I'm currently trying to lower my insulin resistance to avoid getting hyperinsulinemia or T2D.

Eating a slice of cake or some bread once or twice a month hasn't had much effect on me. It's not something that I truly enjoy doing. On the contrary, I feel like it has made it easier for me to stick to my own plan when I cook food for myself at home.

I haven't had any cravings. I have even managed to quit drinking diet sodas and energy drinks. I was addicted to that stuff from my childhood.
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Good luck. I can't believe how many people are addicted to that shit. Energy drinks and all that shit full of sugar.

The good thing about our country is that the thinking is way different also family didn't allow me to buy that crap much. Thank god.

Drinking tap water + from time to time some energy sugar to mix with tap water during tennis match ( i play tennis 2h - 3h 3-4x times a week)

Nonethless keep it up with your journey. Being fat is not worth it and having healthy lifestlye with enough sleep is something really, really impportant. Still can't believe how many people neglect healthy lifestlye.

P.s. yes I still drink alcohol and go to parties. As well as I eat from time to time bad/shit food. Don't go to crazy one side xD
 
Jesse said:
She decided to try to make a change on more than one occasion. Each time, the next time they went out to eat, she would order something like chicken breast and veggies. Long story short, each time, they were hostile about it, and she went back to eating what she was eating before.

She's headed toward diabetes and a knee replacement. She's not even 40 years old.
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This lesson is profound, not just in regards to health but all aspects of life.

The quote: "you are the sum of the 5 people you hang around with the most" is evident here.

Crabs in the bucket

The metaphor is derived from anecdotal claims about the behavior of crabs contained in a open bucket: if a crab starts to climb out, it will be pulled back in by the others, ensuring the group's collective demise.

Sauce: Crab mentality​

Your environment dictates your outcomes. Even when this girl tried to change, the people she surrounds herself by pulled her back down. It's why you are the sum of the 5 people you hang around with the most.

The gang members are the sum of the people they are with the most.

The bankers are the sum of the people they are with the most.

The politicians, the entrepreneurs, the blue collar workers in the field. This is why if you want to change you have to get rid of the people you hang around with otherwise they will pull you back down.

Dan Peña advises moving to the other side of the country or world, where you don't know anyone and go after your success by yourself. Eagles fly alone and above the clouds.

You can't change unless your environment changes - because at some point old habits will creep back up. Very few are strong to be able to stop it, hence why you need to leave the environment in order to grow.

Do with that what you will.
 
When I was wrestling in high school and having to stay in my weight class and running track and running 5 miles a day, my parents would insult me and get fuming mad that I didn't want to eat 3 "gut bomb" hamburgers from the fast food spot, and would opt to have tuna fish on salad.

Anyone trying to improve themselves is essentially holding a mirror up to the losers (and that's what they are) showing them their weaknesses and failures. You know who the loser is because they'll open their mouth to try to tear you down.
 
CCarter said:
This lesson is profound, not just in regards to health but all aspects of life.

The quote: "you are the sum of the 5 people you hang around with the most" is evident here.

Crabs in the bucket

The metaphor is derived from anecdotal claims about the behavior of crabs contained in a open bucket: if a crab starts to climb out, it will be pulled back in by the others, ensuring the group's collective demise.​
​
Sauce: Crab mentality​

Your environment dictates your outcomes. Even when this girl tried to change, the people she surrounds herself by pulled her back down. It's why you are the sum of the 5 people you hang around with the most.

The gang members are the sum of the people they are with the most.

The bankers are the sum of the people they are with the most.

The politicians, the entrepreneurs, the blue collar workers in the field. This is why if you want to change you have to get rid of the people you hang around with otherwise they will pull you back down.

Dan Peña advises moving to the other side of the country or world, where you don't know anyone and go after your success by yourself. Eagles fly alone and above the clouds.

You can't change unless your environment changes - because at some point old habits will creep back up. Very few are strong to be able to stop it, hence why you need to leave the environment in order to grow.

Do with that what you will.
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Not to hijack this thread, but...

This is something I changed over the past 2-3 years that has made more of a difference than I expected. At this point, I really only spend time around people (including her) if it's helpful for my goals.

For the longest time, I had this arbitrary expectation of myself that I should just be able to ignore them and do my own thing. Maybe we evolved to do what the people around us are doing or something, I don't know, but it was sooo much easier to just cut people off than to have to play that whole game with myself.
 
CCarter said:
Dan Peña advises moving to the other side of the country or world, where you don't know anyone and go after your success by yourself.
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I did this - moved across the country nearly two years ago to a place I had never been before where I didn't know anyone.

For an individual who had a normal childhood, developed normally, etc. this would definitely give them a great fresh start and a kick in the butt to accomplish their goals. If you can do it, and you feel convicted, do it. Actually, there is no if - you can do it. How do I know this? Because I did it and haven't died or gone homeless (yet).

For an individual like myself, however, who did not have a normal childhood and did not develop normally (look at my post history; it's as clear as day), it won't be so easy.

---

Learning how to operate a washing machine or cooking yourself chicken for the first time isn't the hard part. Navigating your new city or paying a cable bill for the first time isn't the hard part.

The hard part is what comes after getting away from your old environment for a while - the realization of how badly you were set up for life by your old environment and the people in it, and how messed up you really are. You'll learn things about yourself, and it'll scare you to death.

I was always aware that my past environment was not normal. What I didn't realize at the time, however, was how much of an impact it was having on me and my brain. I figured, "I'm in a new environment, I'm surrounded by normal people now, I'm good to go." Then, I started making the same mistakes (sabotaging) that I made in my old environment, and I realized that deep down, I was still the same person I was in my old environment.

Physically leaving your past environment and the people in it is easy. Escaping your past environment mentally and emotionally, however, is a lot more difficult. But that's where the real change will come from.

You can be in a different location, have a different social circle, dress differently, etc. but none of this will matter if you do not go through an extreme process of transformation to rid yourself of the faulty wiring that you gained from your old environment.

If your brain is wired the same way as it was in your old environment, nothing will change. You will make the same mistakes and sabotage. You will get the same results. And then you'll feel worse than you did in your old environment, because things were supposed to be different (so you thought).

---

For example...

If you go to the gym 6 days a week but binge eat whenever you feel inadequate or ugly because that's how your brain got comfort when you were younger because your parents often didn't provide you with emotional support when you were bullied for being overweight as a child, lasting change won't happen. The gym, workout routine, and diet isn't the issue.

You're still binge eating because that's how you got relief from the negative emotions you felt as a child. Binge eating is your comfort mechanism for when you're feeling the same way you felt as a child when you were bullied. But now, as an adult, you use the comfort mechanism whenever you feel inadequate or ugly in a different scenario (a girl rejected you, you feel like a loser because you're broke, etc.).

So, until you fix the underlying issue of low self-esteem (which is almost always the real issue, it just becomes an issue through different avenues), you'll always revert back to your comfort mechanism(s).

Getting shredded can help you feel better about yourself, but if your real issue is that you don't see value in yourself as a person, you don't think you're capable of being liked, etc. because of past experiences, being shredded won't do shite in the long-term - you will sabotage because your brain and feelings will make you sabotage.

The same thing goes for finding a new social circle and surrounding yourself with 5 new people who are more like the people you'd like to become. It won't hurt you, but deep, fundamental change will not occur by passive absorption because your brain isn't as subconsciously malleable as it was when you were a child. Your wiring will not be overwritten by passive absorption - you must proceed with intention. Just changing the people you surround yourself with isn't the true solution.

---

Since moving across the country almost two years ago, I've had a better social life than I ever had during the 25 years I lived in my old environment. I now act more like an actual adult, too. I pay bills, cook for myself, go to social events, etc. I've made more money this last year than I ever have before (to be clear, this isn't saying much).

But none of these things are the biggest "wins" I received. The biggest win I received was the opportunity to take a step back and learn that I have some deep, deep issues that I never knew I had (@CCarter, @Ryuzaki, @eliquid, etc. recognized something was off, though, which I'm eternally grateful for). And these issues are responsible for the sabotage and mistakes that I've continued to make over, and over, and over again throughout my life.

While my past environment is responsible for these issues, I am responsible for fixing them. To me, this is a matter of life or death. If I do not fix these issues, I'll be better off dead, because I will never get to where I'd like to go if they remain.

So, yes, take the leap and change up your environment drastically. Just realize that depending on your current and past circumstances, what you think is chapter 5 might actually only be chapter 1, and the solution to your problems might not just be your physical location or friends.
 
Week 11: 88.1 kg.

I've kept this weight for five weeks. While I know I should be happy because I'm eating healthy and I'm at a good weight for my height, I still feel a bit upset. I want to get slimmer to look better and feel more confident when I go outside. It's as simple as that.

I lost a lot of weight during the first week by avoiding carbohydrates and eating only once a day. It was the best way to lose weight, short of fasting completely.

Right now, I'm eating two or sometimes even three times a day. It's not unhealthy, but it's not helping me reach my goal faster. Some days I can eat less, but when I try to sleep on an empty stomach, I feel too energetic and can't fall asleep. That leads me to eat a full meal late at night, which isn't ideal for losing belly fat.

So, I think I need to change my strategy this week. I'll try eating less protein and more veggies if I can't sleep at night. While this might raise my blood sugar and insulin, it shouldn't be as much as eating protein-heavy meals. Plus, veggies are less dense in energy.

I'm proud that I've managed to avoid carbohydrates. No sweets, bread, pasta, pizza, or any processed foods with lots of sugar. This is one healthy lifestyle change I can stick with easily. It's much easier for me than trying to eat less often.
 
I'll lay this out for you as simply as I can since you seem to be drastically over-complicating it:
  1. Track your food using one of the many available tools (Cronometer is a good free one). Some moderate balance of fat, carbs and protein is fine. You don't need to do anything screwy or trendy here.
  2. Weigh yourself first thing every morning after peeing/pooping if you need to.
  3. Track your 7-day running average. If that isn't consistently going down over time, then lower your calorie intake.
This will be my last post in this thread. Best of luck.
 
Jesse said:
I'll lay this out for you as simply as I can since you seem to be drastically over-complicating it:
  1. Track your food using one of the many available tools (Cronometer is a good free one). Some moderate balance of fat, carbs and protein is fine. You don't need to do anything screwy or trendy here.
  2. Weigh yourself first thing every morning after peeing/pooping if you need to.
  3. Track your 7-day running average. If that isn't consistently going down over time, then lower your calorie intake.
This will be my last post in this thread. Best of luck.
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Thanks for your message. I don't mind reading about other people's experiences with weight management. If you ever change your mind about that being your last post, please feel free to share more. I know weight management is an issue that becomes relevant to more and more people each day.

You're absolutely correct. Weight loss has never been this complicated for me before, as I never considered the quality of food, the hormonal effects of food, my eating habits, and the importance of avoiding type 2 diabetes.

This time is different. I'm reading books and research papers, watching videos, and participating in online groups where most people are interested in reversing their type 2 diabetes or hyperinsulinemia. This way, I learn new things about food, hormones, and our metabolism every day.

I have multiple reasons for focusing on hormonal response rather than calories. The real drivers of weight loss and gain are our hormones, which play a significant role in how our bodies process and utilize energy.

Type 2 diabetes can't be overcome simply by counting calories, as its cause isn't just too much energy intake or obesity. Rather, insulin resistance leads to type 2 diabetes, which is often associated with obesity. Managing type 2 diabetes involves understanding how different foods impact blood sugar and hormones, particularly insulin. Mere calorie counting doesn't take this into account.

Infographic on Hormones and Weight Loss

Source of the graph: https://novi-health.com/education/dietary-tips-for-improving-blood-sugar

It's possible to eat at a calorie deficit, get slim, and decrease your overall health. That's not really what I have in mind. I do want to get slimmer, but I want to do it in a way that is sustainable, healthy, and decreases the risk of me ever getting type 2 diabetes. That's why I've decided to stop consuming carbohydrates. It's easier for me than trying to consume a moderate amount.

As for weighing myself, I've considered starting to use a tape to measure my belly, as weight itself doesn't really tell me if I'm losing more fat or not. It's true that the numbers on the scale affect my mood, even though I know that it might not tell me what's really going on with my body. I wish I had started using a tape from the beginning, but back then I didn't know any better. I got the idea after watching the video below.

 
Week 12: 87.8 kg.

This result surprised me because I feel like I've been eating like a fully grown bison the whole week. I did reach a new 'all-time low' in my current weight loss journey on Tuesday when the numbers on the scale dropped to 86.2 kg. I still haven't found the tape measure. I should have one at home, but I can't find it anywhere.
 
Week 13: 87.8 kg.

My weight loss has slowed down, but not stopped. I'm still eating much more than necessary. It feels good to know that I can maintain my weight as long as I avoid certain things like sugar, grains and ultra-processed food.
 
Week 14: 89.3 kg.

I don't have much to say. I'm eating the same way as before. Perhaps I could re-evaluate my portion sizes: less protein and more veggies. I haven't eaten carbs at all, so that won't be a problem.

I'm not happy with the progress, to be frank. But regarding my lifestyle and diet changes, I can say I've made improvements. I don't eat ultra-processed junk anymore and choose organic as often as I can. I don't eat anything that could be considered unhealthy. Well, some might have an issue with me consuming red meat, but I don't really care.
 
Week 15: 88.1 kg.

I think substituting protein with more vegetables has worked for me. I got down to 87.4 on Saturday, which is the newest low for me on this current journey. This is great.
 
Week 16: 88.1 kg.

Same as last week, but I got down to 87.2 on Friday, which is a new record. I also ate about 180 grams of Finn crisps on Saturday. That might not seem like a lot, but remember, I have been eating very few carbs for a long time now. I eat carbs so rarely that I can remember all the times I've done so.

Therefore, I think it's safe to say that a good amount of my weight is now just water, as carbs would increase the amount of water in my muscles. Based on my intake, this could mean an additional 0.4 to 0.6 kilograms of water weight.

I'm starting to feel okay with the man I see in the mirror. It's definitely not an image of a fat man anymore. I also feel pretty good about the groceries I buy. I never feel ashamed of anything I put on the conveyor belt.

When I bought the Finn crisps for myself, I saw a man in front of me buying 12 cans of beer and a frozen pizza. The woman behind me also bought a frozen pizza, a big bag of sweets, Pepsi, etc. It's not that long ago when I would buy the same stuff for myself nearly every day.

I mean, the Finn crisps were the "worst" food I've bought for myself. This just goes to show how far I've come. I didn't crave pizza or sweets; I craved rye crackers.
 
Week 17: 88.2 kg.

I weighed 87.2 kg at my lowest. I did eat a box of rye crackers yesterday, but it's never just the rye crackers. I had to have prosciutto and cheese with them, too. Have I stalled? Definitely. But at least I'm not gaining weight, which is good.
 
Week 18: 87.8 kg.

That's not bad considering I went to a music festival and had a blast with friends I hadn't seen in a long time. We had a great time, and I was more flexible with my diet. I didn't touch alcohol, but I drank soft drinks, overly sweet coffee, and ate junk food – hamburgers, french fries, chips, you name it. But it was clearly a one-off thing. I tried everything and realized that I can easily live without it. It's crazy to think that I was addicted to that stuff for most of my life. It's not going to happen again anytime soon.
 
Week 19: 88.8 kg

As my weight has stayed stable for the last, I don't know, 10 weeks, I thought it would be a good time to start working out again. Honestly, I think I should have done this weeks ago, but better late than never.

I'm also satisfied that I managed to go through the whole summer without falling back into my old habits – no sweets, no ice cream, no pizza. The music festival was a bit of a slip-up, but that’s the worst thing that happened regarding my diet. However, socially, it was one of the best things that happened, as I got to reconnect with friends I hadn't seen in a long time.

What kept me from losing weight all summer? Portion sizes and the regularity of my meals. It was easy to drop pounds when I only ate once per day, which I was able to do for several weeks at the beginning of this journey. I remember how hungry I used to feel at the end of the day. Wow, that was really something.

Next Monday marks the beginning of week 20. I didn’t think I would be tracking my weight regularly for this many weeks – it just sort of happened. Who knows how long I'll have the motivation to keep doing this?
 
Congratulations Prose!
Fat loss is not linear and you will hit plateaus.
Keep going you are doing well you have been consistent.

I had break
started again at 77 Kgs 23% body fat.

after 2 weeks at 76 kgs.

All the best to everyone.

Healthy Fats should not be ignored to cut calories. They do not affect fat loss if taken in limit and in fact are important for testosterone and other hormone functions.
 
Week 20: 89.3 kg

I'm posting this update later than usual for a reason. I stepped on the scale this morning, and it read 89.3 kilograms – half a kilo more than last week. I felt frustrated and disappointed. It made me wonder: why is it so hard to get leaner? Why does it feel like I’m not making any progress?

I decided to try something that had worked before: eating just one meal a day. I remembered how effective it was and thought, “Maybe I can do it again.”

But guess what? I slipped up almost immediately. Out of habit, I opened the fridge and put a tomato in my mouth before I even remembered I was supposed to eat only once today. I smiled, realizing how automatic these habits can be.

After that, the rest of the day went well. I didn’t eat anything else until I got home, took it easy, and relaxed for a while. I didn’t binge or overeat. I just ate the same portion size I usually do. I’m hopeful that tomorrow will be just as good – or even better.

John__N said:
Congratulations Prose! Fat loss is not linear and you will hit plateaus. Keep going you are doing well you have been consistent.
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Thank you for your encouragement. My plateau has lasted much longer than I wanted. I just have to be honest with myself: I’ve been eating too much for a man whose intent is to slim down. The good thing is that I’ve mostly been eating healthier food that shouldn't make me gain more weight.
 
Week 21: 86.9 kg

I did it, I finally did it! I broke through that stubborn barrier I’ve been stuck at, and I’m grinning from ear to ear. This just goes to show that setbacks aren’t always the end of the world. Sometimes, they give you that push you need.

This week wasn’t exactly flawless; I had a doughnut, some carrot cake, and even a pancake. Yeah, I know those aren’t the best choices when you’re trying to lose belly fat... trust me, I get it.

But hey, these were special occasions, and I chose to enjoy them. Instead of beating myself up or blaming anyone, I took it as a chance to refocus and eat better for the rest of the week. And I actually did!
 
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