Overcoming My Struggles of Weightloss

First off, I wanted to start this blog by saying, hello and thank you! So why did I create this blog? Well, just like you, I wanted to create a space for me to get creative and meet people! Fitness wasn't always in my lifestyle.  In fact, I was one of those chubby guys in high school that no girl ever looked at. Then in my 20s, I snapped. I was in my lowest of the low, and I decided to change my entire life. How did I do it?

1. I cleaned out my pantry. 

I had to do a hard look on my pantry to see where my lifestyle was leading me. You know that saying, "you are what you eat"? Well, I was exactly that. I remember staring at junk food and thought about how fattening they were. But oh so delicious. There was actually a time when my brother came over and said, "I'm in heaven." because of all the snacks he can get a hold of. Yeah, I was that fatass that needed a little reckoning. 

So, I threw everything away. At first, I thought man what a waste of money. I didn't want them all to go down the drain, but it had to be done. If I wanted to look at my absolute best, those junk food had to go. 

2. I worked out at home. 

I didn't want to go to the gym and commit myself to something I might give up in. That's right, at the time, I was still doubting myself. But I made a commitment to myself that after forming a 3-month habit, I would sign up for a membership. At the time, I kept waking up early in the morning to work out before getting ready for work. It was a slow and steady pace. I was walking for about 30 minutes per session, and that eventually turned to 1 hour with a couple of strength training. 

3. I focused on gaining muscle mass. 

There are many ways you can gain muscle mass. From eating meat to drinking protein shakes. There's no right or wrong way to do it besides diving into it. I read a lot of ways you can lose weight by gaining muscles so that when you're at your resting state, you can still burn fat. And trust me, it really works. Trying to do this can actually improve your metabolism which is an incredible benefit for  a dude like me. 

4. I signed up for a gym membership.

I had issues with my self-esteem before so I would never step foot in a public place like the gym unless I was really going to commit to the lifestyle. Imagine being one of the biggest guys in the gym while others think, "how long do you think he'll last here?" That was just how my mind worked. But I did it, and I've been going to the gym 5 days a week for about one hour. 

5. I treat myself. 

I don't believe in cheat days because I think it's a gateway for ruining your lifestyle. Having a cheat day basically says, "This is what I've worked out for; to binge on all the food I can take on for a day." It's not a lifestyle change. At the end of the day, the inner fat boy in me is still there. So I really had to train my mind to say, I'm only having this treat because it's delicious, but I'm not going overboard about it! So I would have a cheat meal. The whole day, I will do well by eating fruits and vegetables and lean protein. But when I'm hanging out with friends on a Saturday afternoon, I would eat a burger with small fries. Because, why not? 

6. I counted my calories. 

As I aged, my metabolism went down. I used to be able to eat lots of junk food without gaining weight, but now, I would eat one meal, and I'm completely full for the day. This sudden change in my body needed to be addressed. At first, I had to count my calories to understand when I needed to stop eating. 

7. I ate nutrient-rich foods. 

Eating fruits and vegetables really help. I would eat a large plate of stir fried vegetables without feeling guilty because they were so good for the body. Also, I would feel full and I still know that I wouldn't go over my calorie threshold. I also went above and beyond by substituting some of my food. Instead of rice, I would eat cauliflower rice. Instead of ice cream, I would have frozen yogurt. Those small changes really count. 

8. I had to train myself mentally. 

It isn't just about the diet. It was about how your mind worked. If your mind is fixated in eating a pizza than losing weight, then you'll continue to struggle. I had to train my mind that this was for the long run. Eating a pizza was a short term kick of dopamine, whereas losing weight was a long-term change. At times when I was feeling really tempted, I had to read motivational articles that would help me.