How I Lost 50 lbs Without Dieting
#5 The side-effects of dieting
Most of the weight-loss stories come with a product to buy in the end. The product assures that you will lose X amount of weight by consuming it.
These are exactly the type of weight-loss stories you need to stop reading because that story isn’t about losing weight at all.
Weight-loss is never a painful hassle, it's actually a beautiful journey. Some milestones you pick up from this journey and keep forever are:
- Discipline to make exercising a part of your routine (sometimes forever)
- Balance when it comes to eating junk but remaining healthy
- Love for sweating because of the endorphins rush
- Motivation after you see the first few pounds go down, that's when you don't want to quit
- Hard-work because standing in front of the mirror after months or years, this is the most gorgeous you’ve ever felt
I’ll tell you how I did this and if I can, you can.
Forget The Abs You See On Instagram
Those pictures you see are clicked on an empty stomach with their tummy sucked in. Bloggers have spoken about this multiple times that they too have a belly and don’t look ripped all day.
Your tummy rolls, love handles, muffin tops are all normal.
While you forget their abs, also understand that your journey is yours alone so don't compare yourself to anybody else. I took 1.5 - 2 years to accomplish this but people also take 12 months. Be in contempt with your journey and trust the process.
Move For 30 Minutes
I won’t mention how many times a week because if you are a complete beginner you may feel comfortable with only once a week, and that’s okay.
I also won’t mention what type of exercise, this is again completely your choice.
People suggest gym like its one size fits all. That’s untrue!
Do what you enjoy.
Personally, I did start with the gym and later on moved to home workouts by a company called Beachbody (I am not their affiliate and gain no benefit from the link attached). I have also tried boxing, Crossfit and yoga.
If you are comfortable with slow walking or at-home burpees and push-ups, that's great. Just move.
Slowly increase the time and frequency and have at least one rest day a week.
Losing Weight is 80% Nutrition and 20% Exercise
I’ll cut the long story short and tell you the most effective process:
- Download an app called MyFitness Pal and that will tell you how many calories and the number of macronutrients you need.
- Track them only for 3 months at the most, that’s enough time for you to become intuitive with food
- Eat your dinner 3 hours before sleeping
- Eat maximum one dessert a week so you remain in your calorie deficit (burning more than consuming)
- Feel free to eat nachos or whatever it is that you crave once a week
- Try to limit full burgers and pizzas to once in 2 weeks as they have 600–1000cal in a full meal
- Do not feel guilty and workout extra if you eat more. It's okay, its just food!
- Instead of looking at food as the enemy that makes you fat, think of food as the force which nourishes your body so millions of your cells fight to protect you
- No food is good or bad, everything in moderation is okay
Eat What Your Grandparents Ate
Food today has become increasingly processed. Try to consume more of the simple food your grandparents ate.
Instead of ready-to-eat food, cook some wholesome food.
Instead of too many sauces and dips, eat hummus.
Your grandparents did not munch on chips and drank coke as often. Everything in a package has been stripped of its complete health benefits.
Again, no food is bad food. Eating bread and rice is fine. But can you eat fresh bread instead of buying a pack of 4 chocolate croissants? It’s the little choices which reap benefits.
The Side-Effects of Dieting
I won’t bore you with science but talk of personal experience.
My cousin did keto for 6 months and then gained all her weight back after that. Have you ever gained or heard of somebody else gain their weight back after they stopped their ‘diet’ plan?
It's pretty common, unfortunately.
One of my friends tried intermittent fasting and got acne breakouts.
Now, I am not saying you shouldn’t try any of these. I personally haven’t because I am a big foodie and taking my favourite food away from me is a punishment.
All I am saying is, you cannot follow something just because it suited another person. Listen to your body when you experiment with diets. If you feel starved, step out.
You see, we miss a bigger picture. We find it okay to starve ourselves of carbs whereas carbs give you the energy to function. We find it okay for our tummy to grumble so we get ripped, but you need to lose weight because you love your body not because you hate it.
Don’t follow anything which makes you unhappy, this process is better when it's enjoyable.
Fitness is a journey not a destination.
What Should You Eat?
We all know what's healthy and what's not. Come on, you know if I give you an option between fries and fruits.
The best diet is the one which doesn’t come in the following variations:
- 12 weeks to your beach body
- 3-month ab plan
- Lose 25 lbs in 6-months
- The 365 days perfect diet
The perfect diet is
- Sustainable
- Makes you feel happy
- Allows you to eat the junk you crave
- Let’s you live your life
- Doesn’t make you overthink
- Doesn’t guilt-trip you for eating extra
- The one you can keep forever
As long as you eat 80% healthy, you’re good to go!
An ideal diet is a diet you keep forever, not keep for a few months.
Step into the journey of fitness not just to lose weight but for long term benefits such as preventing yourself from hundreds of diseases.
I see many people stressing out about weight-loss.
Getting fit needs to make you happy because scientifically it is triggering your happy hormones! If it makes you sad, you need to assess your current plan with the list I have shared.
I hope you enjoy this journey as much as I did. Feel free to leave any questions you may have in comments and I’ll be happy to respond!
