How much weight I lost:
77 lbs in 1 year. Decreased my body fat percentage from 39% down to 22% and aiming for 15-17%.
What motivated me to lose weight:
First I made a deal with myself that if I lose 50lbs I would buy a motorcycle.
I was also diagnosed with high blood pressure and was on medication for it. I hate being on medication so I also wanted to get off that. Those were the two main drivers that made me wake up one morning and get started
Now working out is a part of my lifestyle.
How I lost weight:
For the first month I started with a trainer. Going maybe twice a week he gave me the kick in the butt I needed to get started. I didn't push it at first just because I really need to get conditioned and use to it. I almost puked on the first few sessions.
I only had 6 sessions with a trainer and took it from there.
I then put together my own work out routine using knowledge I gained from the trainer and gathered from the web. I then used gymtechnik.com to track my progress and setup my routine on that site.
My main goal was to lose a lot of weight. 100 lbs was my final target.
My routine consisted of two sessions a day.
At lunch I went and did about 30 minutes in weights. I focused on 5 sets of 10 and increased the weight when I was able to do the 5 sets easily. I only did about 3 exercise per body part and grouped them into 4 sessions a week, (arms, legs, back and shoulders, chest). After the weights I would jump on the elliptical/treadmill for 30 minutes. I focused mainly on keeping my heart rate at 60-70% of my max.
In the evenings I would also run down to the gym and jump on the elliptical/treadmill for another 30 minutes. However a few months in I signed up for a boxing class which was 1 hr in the evenings (mon-thur) and focused mainly on cardio. This kept it interesting.
At first the weight dropped pretty easily but then I hit a plateau and had to adjust my eating. I had a nutrition plan designed on my goals and workout and have been pretty good at sticking to it. Once you start watching what you eat and equate the calories in to what you have to do to burn them you learn not to eat certain things. Its now a part of my lifestyle.
On the weekends I try to go in for a bit and do a session on the treadmill as well. Just cardio. It keeps me busy and away from the kitchen.
Tips & tricks:
- To burn fat you only need to get your heart rate up to 60-70% of your max. Various articles online tell you how to calculate this.
- Aim to lose 2lbs a week. That is a healthy weight loss rate. Take it slow and steady. As long as you are into your routine you will be fine.
- Surround yourself with motivational material. Ex. biggest loser, men's health magazine, blogs or this one.
- Prepare your meals ahead of time. You will find it is easier to eat healthy when the meals are already made.
- Adjust your eating habbits. This is a must.
- Record your stats!
