How I lost 32kg in 12 months
In a couple of days, it will have been exactly 12 months since I began the second attempt at losing weight. In a year I have lost 32kg — 70.5lbs or 5 stone for the older heads — and feel much happier and healthier than before. I wanted to write a little bit about what has worked for me in the hope it can inspire someone else.
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional nor a nutritionist. This article intends to share my anecdotal experience. I would encourage you to do your own thorough research and discuss any plans with your doctor.
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It was February 28th 2020 and we were already a month into the stress and uncertainty of COVID-19 in Hong Kong. We were working from home and only going out if it was essential. My son was 2.5 months old and craving more energy and attention every day.
I stepped on the scales and it flashed up ‘120.4kg’. My heart sank. It was the weight I had hit at my worst in mid-2018, after which I began weekly personal training sessions and an overhaul of my eating habits. I had previously managed to lose over 20kg in 6 months but spending Christmas at home sent me off the rails and a particularly stress-filled 2019 did nothing to steer me back on track.
Physical appearance and weight loss can be a sensitive topic, and I certainly feel that action comes only once you are ready and committed to making a change. Encouragement helps but is not the trigger. I was ready to start again, for mine and my son’s sake.
The two key components that supported my weight loss were the ketogenic (keto) diet and intermittent fasting, guided by my previous personal trainer and modified by my newfound experience and my amazing wife Scarlett.
I can already imagine some of your reactions. “Keto diet? Pah, just another fad” and you may be right but all I can tell you is my own experience and the fact that I’ve collectively lost over 50kg doing it on two separate occasions. You have to find what works for you otherwise you won’t stick to it.
The high-level summary of a keto diet is the reversal of the typical Western diet: high fat, medium protein, and low carbohydrates. The idea is for your body to use ketones (fatty acids) for energy in the absence of glucose. When done right, your body will start to burn fat instead of storing it.
Keto isn’t for everyone. I’ve spoken to friends who have had adverse reactions, and others who just couldn’t sacrifice their beloved carbs (a tough ask for anyone). I’ve tried as much as possible to do my research and would encourage anyone interested to do the same — bear in mind it is still (sort of) a relatively modern concept so there aren’t rafts of medical studies.
For me, keto is about cutting out processed foods and eating lots of dark green vegetables. Fats become essential but it is important to lean towards better fats: avocado, salmon, olive oil, nuts etc. Protein in moderation but avoiding lean cuts. Lots of vegetables but avoiding starchy varieties with high carbs.
I think I could have done well just following a keto diet, but what gave me the structure and discipline came from intermittent fasting. Not a new concept but one on people’s radars more often, the most common is 16/8 where you would eat during an 8-hour window and refrain during the remaining 16 hours of a day.
My personal trainer set my recommended window to be a tad less than 8 hours and he encouraged me to avoid snacking between my two daily meals. I found it quite easy to adapt to as I am not a big breakfast person (except maybe a fry up…) and it just meant eating lunch slightly later and ensuring I don’t eat late at night — the latter a good habit that many possess regardless.
After a while of intermittent fasting, I found my appetite levels decreased significantly, leading to smaller meals and feeling fuller. With even some basic exercise I was in a caloric deficit which meant the weight started to come off. Big caveat: the initial weight will be water weight as carbohydrates hold more water in your system.
Reflecting on keto now, it is both incredibly easy and difficult all at once depending on your willpower. Don’t shoot me but I love eating kale, spinach, broccoli, brussels sprouts and I’ve discovered ways to jazz them up with various seasonings. The downside is that you can’t really have a ‘cheat day’ — as soon as you consume too many carbs, your body begins to think it is using glucose for energy again. Some folks have managed to “surf” between the two, but I haven’t found a way to do that successfully.
What keto and intermittent fasting have given me is the lasting knowledge of nutrition and the confidence that I am firmly in control of how my eating habits affect my health. Even during a year of no gym and minimal exercise (other than walking around a tiny flat holding a baby), I managed to lose a staggering amount of weight. I’m also very conscious that I could drift into bad habits and the weight will eventually pile back on.
Having a goal is crucial to keeping you on track and accepting that weight will fluctuate from time to time, so stick at it and don’t lose confidence. I would love to hear your own personal stories about keto or intermittent fasting, so we can learn collectively.
