So, you decide to go on a diet, maybe start some exercise. What do you do next? You set your targets (You might aim to reach a particular size [clothes] or else you might have a particular weight you would like to reach by the end of your diet plan). It is completely normal that we set targets which will help us push to our maximum but first, one must understand that this is a journey and it is going to take time. Do not try to take any shortcuts, you are not in a hurry here! Your only focus should be that tomorrow you’ll be better than you are today.
My advice to you is to set realistic targets. Starting over 174 kilos, my first target was to reach 160 kilos, then 150 kilos and so on. I used to set a 10 kilo target each time I reach the previous target. I knew from day one, that my main target was to get under (or close to) 100 kilos but imagine how it would have felt if every time I weigh myself, instead of cheering for losing 10 kilos, I would think of the other 60 kilos I had to lose. That would have killed me, my determination and motivation (stay positive and cherish your results!).
As long as you keep with your diet plan and keep on doing some exercise, you will continue to get positive results. Sometimes you will strong and simply crush your targets, on other occasions you might not see any changes at all or maybe just a slight change (don’t worry! It’s perfectly normal. There were some days when I gained back some weight too! but this did not stop me from my journey). Those are the moments when you should stay focused and motivated the most. Should you fail to see further improvement for a long period of time, I suggest you consult with your personal trainer. You might have to change your training program (ideally this is done every 8 to 10 weeks), change your diet plan, increase your sleeping time or take a break for a few days to let your body to rest. No matter what the issue is, YOU NEVER GIVE UP! Remember from where you started.
During my first year I lost over 40 kilos (this was expected since I never did any kind exercise before and the food I used to eat? Argh… let’s not discuss that!!) but the more weight you lose, the more difficult it becomes. During the second year I continued losing more weight but as soon as I hit the 120 kilos (over 54 kilos less than when I first started my Journey), I stopped seeing more result. I simply couldn’t go lower than that! I spent over 6 months going down to 118 kilos and back to 120 kilos. Changed my training program, changed my diet plan and decided to solve my main problem and start getting enough sleep! (used to sleep just 5 hours every night which has now been increased to a minimum of 7.5 hours).
Guess what? Since December 2018 (weighing 120 kilos), I managed to lose another 9.5 kilos (currently 110.5 kilos) by simply not giving up and adjusting my diet and training. My monthly targets have now changed too. Given that now I have less fats to burn, I no longer set the 10 kilos targets but instead, I have set a target to lose 1-1.5 kilos monthly until I read the 100 kilos mark.
The Journey 