I lost 20 kgs in 12 months
20 kgs in 12 months
20 kilograms is not a magic number, but we humans do like the symmetry and nice, evenly divisible round numbers are more attractive. With this it is also easy to do math, such as 1.5 kgs/month on average loss.
The final 1/2 kg took me going into the gym bathroom, wringing out two cups of water from my gym shirt, and taking off my shoes. I came in at just under 86kgs on July 6, 2010 (06/07/53 Thai Calendar). This is one year after I made my serious start at the gym.
44 lbs at 44 years old
In another tidy numerical oddity, I’ve lost the same number of pounds as my current age in years. A majority of the weight loss took place during my 43rd year. Still, another nice symmetry to contemplate.
One thing is, it is more difficult to lose weight at an older age. I lost around 30 pounds in 2 years back in the mid 1990s, so I knew it was possible to lose weight, and the process to go about it.
One thing that needs to be emphasized is that weight loss, rather than aerobic activity has to be the goal from a medical/health perspective. Aerobic activity is the means and weight lost the end, as that has been found to be much more effective from a preventative medicine viewpoint.
The Gym
The first thing is exercise, something I had largely neglected (aside from walking) for a long time. In Chiang Mai, I tried Powerhouse Gym off Nimmanhaemin but they were a bit far away, and had fewer classes and machines than my current gym, Fitness Thailand. Fitness Thailand cost me 900 THB for the first month, and after that I signed up for a year at 6,000 THB ($28 USD and $185 USD, respectively). That fee comes with unlimited access to the gym and all classes.
My favorite sport is bicycling and I really enjoy spinning (aka studio cycling, aka indoor cycling. This is an aerobic, high energy (high calorie expenditure) but safe and joint-friendly workout activity.
The first few weeks are very painful as the muscles and connective tissue adapt to the changes, but by the first six weeks or so, the body adjusts and feels pain when not going to the gym. At first I was not able to finish a spinning class (45 mins), but have since worked up to be able to do two classes, and at one point three classes in one workout.
Running
After a while I was able to use the treadmills to do some running, as well as the outdoor fitness park at CMU, and some nice hiking up Doi Suthep.
Dancing
Once I got enough weight off, I went dancing a few times while dating. I actually did a lot of dancing when I was younger, and it had been years. Still got some moves, and what is most important, enjoyable and a great workout. I don’t like the bar scene but I do like the dancing.
Thai Massage
One part of the Chiang Mai lifestyle is access to world-class massage at very low prices. I usually pay 150 THB ($5.00 USD) for an hour of excellent, firm bodywork. Regular massage keeps the body able to workout at a high level without pain and to make solid gains in athletic ability and weight loss (the massage itself is somewhat painful).
How did I get overweight in the first place?
This is a good question, and the simple answer is bad habits, as well as what I now interpret as depression in my living and working situation. Basically, a lack of exercise and poor eating habits. Even though the bicycle was my main form of transportation in Hawaii, bicycling here and there is not enough for several reasons: 1) Honolulu is very small so there is not a lot of exercise in there and 2) the need to do actual aerobic activity (or some kind of strenuous activity) to maintain an effective metabolism.
Eating garbage
Junk food, highly processed, high fat, high sugar and low nutritional content. Hawaii where I gained the weight over a number of years, is certainly not the health food capital of the world, and little organic options are available (compared with Berkeley, CA or most of the West Coast).
In Thailand, I am able to find extremely inexpensive, tasty and fresh food without a lot of oil, excess fats, sugars, etc. I still love some foods like Nam Prik Ong and Pad Thai, which have a lot of oil. But I never really cut back my food intake too much in terms of variety. I do eat more vegetables and soups, and more fruit, so that helps.
Still, it is important to note that I lived in Thailand for six months before I started at the gym, and started losing weight. Diet alone does nothing for me, a conclusion found in a recent meta-analysis as well:
diet-plus-exercise interventions provided significantly greater weight loss than diet-only interventions
Breakfast
One thing that helped a lot, but I did later in the year, is to start eating breakfast. On the advice of several friends, breakfast has significant metabolic advantages, even over not eating. The key to weight loss is managing the metabolism as well as energy input and expenditures. I think of metabolism as the rate of energy conversion/expenditure.
For breakfast we usually eat about a half cup of instant oats and some black sesame mixed with three or four cut fruits and topped with low sugar soymilk. Very tasty, quick to make, and can get the cut fruit at the night market for the morning (30-40 THB – $1 USD) for three people. Instant oats are available at Lotus Kamtieng for around 100 THB ($3 USD) and the soymilk for around 10 THB/small carton – $0.30 (1-2 cartons for 3 people).
On those days we don’t get fruit, a nice Khao Tom with chicken and egg can be found for a quick sit-down breakfast for 15 THB/person ($0.50) at the Chang Puak market.
Cut back on the beer
Reducing beer intake, which didn’t actually happen for quite a while, does have an effect on weight based on the calorie intake. I had developed a bad habit of simply drinking too much. It can be enjoyable with friends and a way to relax, but over time it takes a toll on the body as well as makes a dent in the wallet.
At one point I switched largely off of beer (mostly Leo and Beer Lao) to Thai Whisky (Mekong and Benmore). I’ve done the calorie math but I’m simply not sure about the advantages of the trade-off. Still, I certainly feel less bloated when drinking a whisky soda than a big Leo. Nevertheless my favorite beer in the region has to be Beer Lao, and I find that very tasty (in small quantities).
Over time the intake was cut back and about the time of the new girlfriend I simply became disinterested in drinking (she doesn’t). There is a Mekong bottle in the house that has about 1/3 left in it from the past two months. Other than that I’ve been out for a beer or two about once a week.
Weight is only One Measure
Weight is not a good measure of fitness, though it is a measure that is important for various medical and other health reasons. When overweight, it is the primary goal measurement. Better, though, and more personal and noticeable is size, namely how one fits into one’s clothes.
A number of great milestones take place when one’s clothes begin to not fit and new clothes are needed. The belt is especially helpful as there are notches that one begins to walk back across.
Process and Progress
At the beginning of the process there are big gains in both weight and size (how the clothes fit). Some months however show no difference in weight (though a big difference in size) as more fat (by volume) is replaced by muscle. Overall it is a process and progress is measured in various ways, but most importantly by following the routine.
Commitment and Patience
All of this is nothing but a random collection of observations without commitment to the process and patience with oneself throughout. It is making the routine and the changes in diet a priority and an integrated part of every week and every day that is most vital. Visits to the gym 5-6 times per week (sometimes 2x day), visits to the massage therapist 3-5 times per week, and eating regularly and well (no sacrifice on tastiness need be made).
Some times there has been a gap of several days or almost a week between workouts, that is fine. Once there was an 11 day gap. After a bout of Dengue fever it was 13 days before I went to the gym. Funny thing, it was my level of fitness I believe that got me back and fully recovered within a month.
Next Steps
There are still 6kgs to lose, and that should take 3-6 months. Same routine. I know what to do.
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