from 216lbs -> 194lbs
from 20% body fat -> 15% body fat
from Total Laziness -> Somewhat Active
most of all, I feel lighter and healthier
I have seen many people try to lose weight including myself.
And a lot of them "follow" the diet programs, from eatings to exercise.
But, many of them who "follow" the programs stop when they reach their desired weight, or look that they wanted. And they go back to their old selves.
I was like that as well. I have been lifting weights through out the years, but I've always had big gap between them. Sometimes, I would workout for 2 months and stop... for about 5 months... and try to get back into it. It's always hard to go back, because it is so comfortable. Not just comfortable but very EASY. I don't have to goto the gym, or my garage, to see those metal bars and plates, I can eat whatever I want to and enjoy being lazy...
But, it's the time when I look at myself in the mirror and realize how ridiculous I look. Can't fit into the clothes I used to wear, baggy pants become too tight to put my leg through, and can't wake up in the morning because I feel so heavy.
Then I start everything again... from the scratch. Try to wear as much shirts as possible to sweat out everything. Going into 90+degree garage without any fan to get as much sweat as possible. I know, going into garage only works in the summer time and only in Texas... But, they don't help much with losing weight because they are just water weight coming out of my body. Also because I've always loved food and I still do. But what's wrong was that I didn't control myself from eating too much. Even with sweating out in the hot sauna like garage, I couldn't lose anything fat because I was not strict to myself on the actual diet. Plus, I took protein shakes to get bigger, which did not help at all on losing weight but putting more pounds over my waist, chest, and my butt.
Also, the eating schedule was never the same. Some days, I would eat breakfast and some I wouldn't. Some days, I would eat lunch and eat in-between meal before dinner. Some days, I would eat dinner around 11 PM because I was hungry after school or work.
I wasn't eating much healthy food. Everything I consumed was meat based... I had to have some sort of meat everyday. If I didn't have any for Lunch or Dinner, I would go out and get myself a Big Burger to get that meat fix. Also, when I get a burger, I never bought just one. I would get myself something cheaper, dollar menus, and get 3 or 4 instead of getting 1 regular item. I felt like I was saving money by doing so, but in reality, I wasn't saving that much of money by getting dollar menus because I was buying multiples and I was putting more calories to my body than I should have. I also love sweet drinks from Sodas to Sweet Teas. And I drink ALOT of them. I could never understand people drink one can of coke for their entire meal. One can of coke for me was one gulp... For a normal meal, I used to drink about 3-5 cans of Soda or 5+ cups of Sweet Tea. Without realizing how much of sugar I was putting into my body.
It was because I was "Following" the diet program and just doing it because I was telling myself that I was exercising. I didn't care much for "CHANGING" my habits and life style.
Since I came back from San Francisco, I couldn't believe how bad I looked and felt.
So I decided to change everything.
To become a new person. Person with healthier mind and body.
I don't want to just lose weight and feel healthy physically, but I want to do so to have strong mentality that I can accomplish anything and everything if I want to.
If I can't even control the most simple thing in life = my body, then what can I control in this world or even think about accomplishing bigger goals.
It's been one month without fast food, soda, and sweets. And I do not eat anything after 6PM, but I do take some protein shakes around 8 or so to fill myself up.
Now I like to study and learn better recipes and cook for myself. Lots of fresh veggies and lean meats, with fruits. I've switched my midnight snacks to banana, I've switched my soda to water, I've switched my burgers to small bowl of rice and veggies, and greasy and saucy meat to white chicken breast and lean cuts.
I don't think about those 'tasty food' anymore. It's not necessary to consume all that to just enjoy food in general. Food is to make the body healthy not to kill.
My exercise routine has been changed a lot. I have schedules now... I try to follow the schedule on P90X, but I don't really like their weight trainings... they are just little too easy for me to follow now. But, I do love plyometrics, the jumping exercise.
So my schedule is
Monday: Cardio(AM)
Chest/Back + Abs(PM)
Tuesday: Plyometrics
Wednesday: Cardio(AM)
Arm/Shoulder + Abs(PM)
Thursday: Plyometrics
Friday: Cardio(AM)
Legs + Abs(PM)
Saturday: Whatever I feel like I need more
Sunday: REST
But, on the weight lifting days, I do my own work outs instead of P90X. The things I follow from P90X are cardio, plyo, and abs. Since, those three are the hardest to follow and seems to work very well.
Anyhow, I'm very excited to see how I will be changed in few months. I want to be in the best shape of my life and stay there.
Right now, looking at myself in the mirror is not embarrassing anymore. Exercising has given me little more confidence in myself.
