3 things that helped me lose 25 pounds

In 2020, I was over 200 pounds for the first time in my life.

I put on a whopping 40 pounds in about 18 months.

Dirty-bulking in 2019 turned into habitual overeating, which led to stress-eating in 2020.

5-years later, I’m a lean 175 and Lord-willing at a weight I want to maintain for a long time.

There were 3 things that helped me.

1) Time management

My primary problem wasn’t a health problem.

I had a time management problem.

I was overcommitted, no margins in my schedule, and vague priorities.

Spending time on my health felt impossible because I wasn’t managing my time effectively.

While several books, podcasts, and articles have been useful, nothing has helped more than Redeeming Productivity.

2) I was a “yes-man” at work

My core problem with time management was that I was a people-pleaser.

I was afraid to say no.

This “fear of man” became a snare (Proverbs 29:25).

• I said “yes” to too many projects/assignments at work

• Which meant I started at 6:30a and went until 5:30pm

• Which then meant I had zero energy leftover at the end of the day

What helped was having several mentors at work.

I watched how they said no.

They received the request graciously, but then used data to suggest alternatives that focused on value, while saving time.

3) Follow a “health-system”

I like James Clear’s distinction between goals and systems.

“Goals are about the results you want to achieve.

Systems are about the processes that lead to those results”

Here is the “health-system” that helped me lose 25 pounds:

• Exercise at home

• Walk 9k-12k+ steps per day

• Strength train 3x-4x/week (kettlebells & bodyweight)

• Drink mostly water, whole milk, coffee, and tea

• Eat single-ingredient foods 80-90% of the week

• Hand-to-fist sized animal protein portion at each meal

• Go to bed at 9p/9:30p and wake up at 5a/5:30a most days

Hope this serves.

P.S. Are you a busy parent who wants to lose 10-15 pounds in 40 days, all at home?

Check out Kickstart40.

The information provided in this article is for informational and educational purposes only, and does not constitute medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.