6 ms·

How I lost 100lbs in 6 months

56 points by JustinAngel 10y ago

gragas 10y ago
Being 100 pounds overweight is simply unfathomable to me. How can anyone have such disregard for their health?
- krohling 10y ago
  You're a dick
  - deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
- patrickg_zill 10y ago
  I haven't been that much overweight - but it can creep up on you. And losing weight, and keeping it off, is very tough.
- xpac 10y ago
  It's really easy. Like to eat. Or eat because of boredom, frustration, etc etc. Not everybody is a self optimization fanatic ;-)
  - gragas 10y ago
    I wouldn't consider maintaining my health a "self optimization fanatic" trait.
    - wishinghand 10y ago
      This was in response to your original comment that got flagged: There's a few ways it can do so. 1. Depression: if life itself feels pointless, why care about your health? 2. Environment: lots of snacks, lots of work, little free time can add several kilograms. 3. Upbringing: if all you did in your high school and university life was hang out with friends and play computer games or generally un-athletic activities, the habit and drive to keep pounds off is absent. 4. Stress: if you're dealing with a really hard project at work or school, you may "put off" exercise and eating well, in order to give you time to finish it and comfort for the hardship. And when you do get some free time you may want to just lie around. 5. Money: if you're poor cheap snacks and unhealthy but high calorie meals are readily available at almost every corner of your city or town. There's no place in my downtown area where I can grab some roasted vegetables quickly to take back to the office. The salad places are expensive and also have high calories from dressing and lots of nuts and cheese. 6. Disorders: addictive personality being the foremost in my mind. If it feels good, keep doing it. Even if you don't need it. Even if you're almost full to bursting. There's more I'm sure, but those are off the top of my head.
      - gragas 10y ago
        Alright, I'll continue to live in my OCD fantasy world where staying in reasonable shape is normal.
        wishinghand 10y ago
        That gripe is different from what I responded to. You originally said it's unfathomable how someone could get 100 pounds out of shape, and I listed a few ways that it can easily happen.
    - PhasmaFelis 10y ago
      Judging from your recent comment history, I'm thinking you're a troll.
      - gragas 10y ago
        What makes you think so?
    - seandhi 10y ago
      I hit 100 lbs. overweight after Hashimoto's destroyed my thyroid. Now, on thyroid meds, I'm about 20 lbs. overweight, but it's hard to maintain even this. If I'm not careful, I can gain twenty pounds in a month without batting an eye. I've yoyo'd several times since being diagnosed.
    - LyndsySimon 10y ago
      It sucks your original comment was flagged - I can see how people may have thought it was a bit harsh, but it was true. You don't see how it can happen. Speaking only for myself, it's simple: I'd never known anything different. I'm 6'2", and was ~230lb when I graduated high school. On January 9th of this year I was 318lbs, and decided to make a change. I'm 285lbs now and still dropping a few pounds every week. My clothes are starting to fit poorly, I've had to adjust my watchband twice now, and my wedding ring will barely stay on my finger.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- cm2012 10y ago
  Same reason people get addicted to anything. We're emotional creatures.
jnordwick 10y ago
This is the Seattle Seahawks. Can you come consult for us?
anandkulkarni 10y ago
Nice work! You argued that you were never hungry on your diet. Was that due to the emotional stress you were under, or were the snacks really enough?
- JustinAngel 10y ago
  Thanks for asking! > "It was fairly easy due to a combination of low-grade depression that reduced my appetite and having fairly immense energy stores in the form of fat." For me, it's all about focusing on the sensation of being full. I'd like to avoid the mental sensation of hunger as it'll be counterproductive to long term weight loss. Whenever I'm hungry I eat something substantial, for example: a quarter of a watermelon (~1 lb, 200 calories) or two bags of Miracle Noodles (~1 lb, 0 calories) with yakiniku/pasta sauce (100-200 calories) or a double bowl of miso soup (100 calories).
anandkulkarni 10y ago
Nice work! You argued that you were never hungry on your diet. Was that due to the emotional stress you were under, or were the snacks really enough?
tomcam 10y ago
This is one of the best ledes I have ever read: > I decided to lose weight after my ex-wife cheated on me stating that she found me unattractive, that she never loved me and that she was leaving and taking the dog with her.
- sauronlord 10y ago
  Nothing like a man being faced with a lifetime of no romantic love to get his will power in the right gear.
cm2012 10y ago
PSA: Every legitimate long term study of major non surgical weight loss shows that it doesn't happen for the vast, vast majority of people. It's basically freakish when succesful in the long term. 1) ["In controlled settings, participants who remain in weight loss programs usually lose approximately 10% of their weight. However, one third to two thirds of the weight is regained within 1 year, and almost all is regained within 5 years. "](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1580453 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1580453) 2) Giant meta study of long term weight loss: ["Five years after completing structured weight-loss programs, the average individual maintained a weight loss of >3% of initial body weight."](http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/74/5/579.full http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/74/5/579.full) 3) Less Scientific: [Weight Watcher's Failure - "about two out of a thousand Weight Watchers participants who reached goal weight stayed there for more than five years."](https://fatfu.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/weight-watchers/ https://fatfu.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/weight-watchers/) 4) [The reason why it's impossible seems to be that although calories in < calories out works, the body of a fat person makes it extremely difficult psychologically to eat less.](http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/magazine/tara-parker-pope-fat-trap.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/magazine/tara-parker-pope-...) This is borne out by the above data. 5) [The only thing that does seem to work in the long term is gastric surgery.](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1421028/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1421028/) Moreover, you won't find any reputable study on the web where the average person lost 10%+ of their body weight and kept it off for five years. Not even one.
- pizza 10y ago
  I wonder what the research into environmental contribution says? Like, how people change weight in different social situations.
- sauronlord 10y ago
  That's great news for people like me, thin people and the OP. I lost 65 pounds in 10 months. (220 to 155) and kept it off for 7 years. Once again, it means less competition for resources as the population mass gets bloated.
- maxerickson 10y ago
eastbayjake 10y ago
This is a new classic in the Hacker News "How I Lost X Pounds in Y Months" genre. Other favorites: [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8449301 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8449301 [2] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12279415 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12279415
spodek 10y ago
> Low Calories Snacks: 0–150 calories snacks Besides the pre-packaged engineered foods he listed, there's also fresh fruits and vegetables.
- JustinAngel 10y ago
  Yep. I called out my favourite one (warermelon) on that list and also called out the Weight Watchers list of "Power Foods" that's mostly comprised of fresh fruits and vegetables. My issues with a blanket recommendation of fresh fruits and vegetables are around (1) perception as calorie-neutral, (2) prep time and (3) overall caloric variance. 1. Regarding perception, for me it's very easy imagining apples are "free" (= 0 calories) so I can just eat as many as I'd like. That's not true because an apple is approximately 70 calories. So in a universe where I think apples are calorie neutral (e.g. Weight Watchers has 0 PointsPlus apples) I might be overindulging in apples. 2. Prep time. Most vegetables require either a certain presentation or preparation. That time investment is a "barrier-to-eating" and could cause me to consume higher calorie foods and that's why I prefer very low prep time snacks. Nature's packaging requires some assembly in most cases. 3. The caloric variance amongst is meaningful. e.g. Celery being at 16 calories/100g and potatoes being at 77 calories/100g. That caloric variance there cautions me from saying carte-blanche "fresh fruits and vegetables work for my kind of diet".
  - throwanem 10y ago
    > Most vegetables require either a certain presentation or preparation. Eh. Cucumbers, bell peppers, mushrooms, and almost all fruits including tomatoes can be enjoyed raw. Broccoli and cauliflower, too, if your teeth are good - delicious with a dash of vinegar and salt - and while we're visiting the Brassicaceae, let's not overlook kale, which can be brined or salted, then dried in a low-temperature oven, to produce amazing kale chips; granted, this does take us a bit higher on the prep time scale, but it's the sort of prep you do once, on a weekend day, and pay little attention, and once it's done, you just grab a bag and you're off and running.
thecity2 10y ago
I'm so pissed at your ex. What an a-hole.
bmh_ca 10y ago
IMHO, The measure of successful weight loss ought to be at 7 years from the start. There are three cycles to control: 1. the hunger cycle (short, daily), 2. the hypothalamus equilibrium (aka "set-point", 6-months+ cycle, controls inhibitions [1]), 3. the hydrocarbon cycle (i.e. 1+ year hormone release by non-flush fat cells [2]). We also know that decisions made in the hypothalamus are responsible for energy regulation,[3] and we also know that those decisions happen before we are consciously aware of them. In other words, the feeling of hunger and short-term control appears to be a surprisingly small portion (pardon the pun) of the dominant forces that control long-term weight - namely hormone cycles and decision making. So while the 100lbs loss is an achievement, I'd be more interested in hearing how someone kept it off for several years – since that's presumably the ultimate goal and it requires overcoming what appear to be exponentially more difficult challenges. (The links below touch on supporting the above, but I think I should be able to find the papers/references for all the above.) [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3084499/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3084499/ [2] https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/presspacs/2010/acs-presspac-october-13-2010/new-evidence-that-fat-cells-are-not-just-dormant-storage-depots-for-calories.html https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/presspacs/2010/... [3] http://www.cell.com/current-biology/abstract/S0960-9822(14)01299-8?_returnURL=http%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0960982214012998%3Fshowall%3Dtrue&cc=y= http://www.cell.com/current-biology/abstract/S0960-9822(14)0...
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- noir_lord 10y ago
  I went from 250 to 185 (currently 183) in 7mths about 20mths ago, it's stayed off. All I do is count my calories everyday and add 10%, if it's less than 2630 (my BMR based on age, weight and activity) I'm good. If I go 200-300 over one day I go 200-300 under the next. Weight has been completely stable. It's the running total in my head that works for me as an incentive to not over eat.
  - noir_lord 10y ago
    In fact I should point out I have the opposite problem, If I'm not careful I gradually start losing weight again, I dipped down to 180lbs over a few months and had to adjust my intake to climb back to 185. It's really hard to over-eat when you calorie track and eat healthy.
xpac 10y ago
I've been overweight for almost all of my adult life, and the level has been either steady or rising over the years (31 now). The only thing making me loose weight was 5 month studying abroad in Ghana (I'm from Germany). The ridiculous thing about it was: I didn't intend on loosing weight there. I ate as much as I liked whenever I liked it. Still, I lost about 15 kg in 5 months, and I didn't even notice it until the end of the trip when another student told me that I looked like it. What I noticed as a big difference in my habits: * no Drive-In, no McDonald's, no Burger King, no other franchise. So, no junk eating while driving (e.g. from work) * no fridge at the hostel (at least none you would want to use). So, no "I'm bored and will just get something from the fridge" * I'm not a cooking person, so almost all food required walking the 5 minutes to the small market. Not a long way, but it keeps somebody like me from boredom eating * the fucking heat =D no movement and a lot of sweating ;-)
brad0 10y ago
Hey Justin, just wanted to say good on you. While the physical change is great, it's a byproduct of the changes in your mind. Keep it up.
richardboegli 10y ago
AWESOME effort Justin Angel !!! :D It is great to see someone achieve their weight loss goals. Yes it is that “SIMPLE” and I know it can be done, as I too did it myself. I too had a massive weight loss goal (90 lbs / 40kg) and achieved it with the same basic principals, but in a slightly longer time frame (9 months / 40 weeks). I wrote a book about it (My Weight Loss Story: 40kg in 40 Weeks Without Exercise (90lbs in 9 months), instead of a medium post. ;) I personally (Richard Boegli) lost 40 kg in 40 weeks (90lb in 9 months) WITHOUT exercise. [90lb in 9 months (no exercise)]. I’m not trying to hijack your story! I would just like to provide another data point, that the basic principals do work. As I have found their can be a lot of scepticism, even though the math works! Justin Angel: How I lost 100lbs in 6 months [100lb / 6 months (with exercise)] I could do a line for line comparison, but these are the points that immediately came to mind as I read the article: Richard Boegli: [90lb in 9 months (no exercise)]: “Just Eat Less”, its in the preface of the book :) Justin Angel [100lb / 6 months (with exercise)]: "Calories In — Calories Out = Weight Change" Richard Boegli [90lb in 9 months (no exercise)]:: “I reduced my food intake” Justin Angel [100lb / 6 months (with exercise)]: “I reduced my daily caloric intake” Richard Boegli [90lb in 9 months (no exercise)]: “I lost on average 1kg (2.2lbs) a week, every week for 40 weeks WITHOUT exercise Justin Angel [100lb / 6 months (with exercise)]: “I would experience a 3lbs a week weight lose.” I chose to do it WITHOUT exercise, as my theory was that I would keep it off longer, if it wasn’t dependent on exercise. Every other time I lost weight in my life, it was a combination of diet and exercise. When the exercised stop, the weight would creep back up, as I was still eating too much. http://40in40book.com http://40in40book.com EDIT: Cleaned it up a bit.
NerdfaceKillah 10y ago
Congrats. Anyone ever tell you you look like Drake?
richardboegli 10y ago
Why did this article get flagged?

56 points by JustinAngel 10y ago

gragas 10y ago

Being 100 pounds overweight is simply unfathomable to me. How can anyone have such disregard for their health?

krohling 10y ago
You're a dick
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
patrickg_zill 10y ago
I haven't been that much overweight - but it can creep up on you. And losing weight, and keeping it off, is very tough.
xpac 10y ago
It's really easy. Like to eat. Or eat because of boredom, frustration, etc etc. Not everybody is a self optimization fanatic ;-)
- gragas 10y ago
  I wouldn't consider maintaining my health a "self optimization fanatic" trait.
  - wishinghand 10y ago
    This was in response to your original comment that got flagged: There's a few ways it can do so. 1. Depression: if life itself feels pointless, why care about your health? 2. Environment: lots of snacks, lots of work, little free time can add several kilograms. 3. Upbringing: if all you did in your high school and university life was hang out with friends and play computer games or generally un-athletic activities, the habit and drive to keep pounds off is absent. 4. Stress: if you're dealing with a really hard project at work or school, you may "put off" exercise and eating well, in order to give you time to finish it and comfort for the hardship. And when you do get some free time you may want to just lie around. 5. Money: if you're poor cheap snacks and unhealthy but high calorie meals are readily available at almost every corner of your city or town. There's no place in my downtown area where I can grab some roasted vegetables quickly to take back to the office. The salad places are expensive and also have high calories from dressing and lots of nuts and cheese. 6. Disorders: addictive personality being the foremost in my mind. If it feels good, keep doing it. Even if you don't need it. Even if you're almost full to bursting. There's more I'm sure, but those are off the top of my head.
    - gragas 10y ago
      Alright, I'll continue to live in my OCD fantasy world where staying in reasonable shape is normal.
      - wishinghand 10y ago
        That gripe is different from what I responded to. You originally said it's unfathomable how someone could get 100 pounds out of shape, and I listed a few ways that it can easily happen.
  - PhasmaFelis 10y ago
    Judging from your recent comment history, I'm thinking you're a troll.
    - gragas 10y ago
      What makes you think so?
  - seandhi 10y ago
    I hit 100 lbs. overweight after Hashimoto's destroyed my thyroid. Now, on thyroid meds, I'm about 20 lbs. overweight, but it's hard to maintain even this. If I'm not careful, I can gain twenty pounds in a month without batting an eye. I've yoyo'd several times since being diagnosed.
  - LyndsySimon 10y ago
    It sucks your original comment was flagged - I can see how people may have thought it was a bit harsh, but it was true. You don't see how it can happen. Speaking only for myself, it's simple: I'd never known anything different. I'm 6'2", and was ~230lb when I graduated high school. On January 9th of this year I was 318lbs, and decided to make a change. I'm 285lbs now and still dropping a few pounds every week. My clothes are starting to fit poorly, I've had to adjust my watchband twice now, and my wedding ring will barely stay on my finger.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
cm2012 10y ago
Same reason people get addicted to anything. We're emotional creatures.

jnordwick 10y ago

This is the Seattle Seahawks. Can you come consult for us?

anandkulkarni 10y ago

Nice work! You argued that you were never hungry on your diet. Was that due to the emotional stress you were under, or were the snacks really enough?

JustinAngel 10y ago
Thanks for asking! > "It was fairly easy due to a combination of low-grade depression that reduced my appetite and having fairly immense energy stores in the form of fat." For me, it's all about focusing on the sensation of being full. I'd like to avoid the mental sensation of hunger as it'll be counterproductive to long term weight loss. Whenever I'm hungry I eat something substantial, for example: a quarter of a watermelon (~1 lb, 200 calories) or two bags of Miracle Noodles (~1 lb, 0 calories) with yakiniku/pasta sauce (100-200 calories) or a double bowl of miso soup (100 calories).

anandkulkarni 10y ago

Nice work! You argued that you were never hungry on your diet. Was that due to the emotional stress you were under, or were the snacks really enough?

tomcam 10y ago

This is one of the best ledes I have ever read: > I decided to lose weight after my ex-wife cheated on me stating that she found me unattractive, that she never loved me and that she was leaving and taking the dog with her.

sauronlord 10y ago
Nothing like a man being faced with a lifetime of no romantic love to get his will power in the right gear.

cm2012 10y ago

PSA: Every legitimate long term study of major non surgical weight loss shows that it doesn't happen for the vast, vast majority of people. It's basically freakish when succesful in the long term. 1) ["In controlled settings, participants who remain in weight loss programs usually lose approximately 10% of their weight. However, one third to two thirds of the weight is regained within 1 year, and almost all is regained within 5 years. "](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1580453 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1580453) 2) Giant meta study of long term weight loss: ["Five years after completing structured weight-loss programs, the average individual maintained a weight loss of >3% of initial body weight."](http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/74/5/579.full http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/74/5/579.full) 3) Less Scientific: [Weight Watcher's Failure - "about two out of a thousand Weight Watchers participants who reached goal weight stayed there for more than five years."](https://fatfu.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/weight-watchers/ https://fatfu.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/weight-watchers/) 4) [The reason why it's impossible seems to be that although calories in < calories out works, the body of a fat person makes it extremely difficult psychologically to eat less.](http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/magazine/tara-parker-pope-fat-trap.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/magazine/tara-parker-pope-...) This is borne out by the above data. 5) [The only thing that does seem to work in the long term is gastric surgery.](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1421028/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1421028/) Moreover, you won't find any reputable study on the web where the average person lost 10%+ of their body weight and kept it off for five years. Not even one.

pizza 10y ago
I wonder what the research into environmental contribution says? Like, how people change weight in different social situations.
sauronlord 10y ago
That's great news for people like me, thin people and the OP. I lost 65 pounds in 10 months. (220 to 155) and kept it off for 7 years. Once again, it means less competition for resources as the population mass gets bloated.
maxerickson 10y ago

eastbayjake 10y ago

This is a new classic in the Hacker News "How I Lost X Pounds in Y Months" genre. Other favorites: [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8449301 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8449301 [2] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12279415 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12279415

spodek 10y ago

> Low Calories Snacks: 0–150 calories snacks Besides the pre-packaged engineered foods he listed, there's also fresh fruits and vegetables.

JustinAngel 10y ago
Yep. I called out my favourite one (warermelon) on that list and also called out the Weight Watchers list of "Power Foods" that's mostly comprised of fresh fruits and vegetables. My issues with a blanket recommendation of fresh fruits and vegetables are around (1) perception as calorie-neutral, (2) prep time and (3) overall caloric variance. 1. Regarding perception, for me it's very easy imagining apples are "free" (= 0 calories) so I can just eat as many as I'd like. That's not true because an apple is approximately 70 calories. So in a universe where I think apples are calorie neutral (e.g. Weight Watchers has 0 PointsPlus apples) I might be overindulging in apples. 2. Prep time. Most vegetables require either a certain presentation or preparation. That time investment is a "barrier-to-eating" and could cause me to consume higher calorie foods and that's why I prefer very low prep time snacks. Nature's packaging requires some assembly in most cases. 3. The caloric variance amongst is meaningful. e.g. Celery being at 16 calories/100g and potatoes being at 77 calories/100g. That caloric variance there cautions me from saying carte-blanche "fresh fruits and vegetables work for my kind of diet".
- throwanem 10y ago
  > Most vegetables require either a certain presentation or preparation. Eh. Cucumbers, bell peppers, mushrooms, and almost all fruits including tomatoes can be enjoyed raw. Broccoli and cauliflower, too, if your teeth are good - delicious with a dash of vinegar and salt - and while we're visiting the Brassicaceae, let's not overlook kale, which can be brined or salted, then dried in a low-temperature oven, to produce amazing kale chips; granted, this does take us a bit higher on the prep time scale, but it's the sort of prep you do once, on a weekend day, and pay little attention, and once it's done, you just grab a bag and you're off and running.

thecity2 10y ago

I'm so pissed at your ex. What an a-hole.

bmh_ca 10y ago

IMHO, The measure of successful weight loss ought to be at 7 years from the start. There are three cycles to control: 1. the hunger cycle (short, daily), 2. the hypothalamus equilibrium (aka "set-point", 6-months+ cycle, controls inhibitions [1]), 3. the hydrocarbon cycle (i.e. 1+ year hormone release by non-flush fat cells [2]). We also know that decisions made in the hypothalamus are responsible for energy regulation,[3] and we also know that those decisions happen before we are consciously aware of them. In other words, the feeling of hunger and short-term control appears to be a surprisingly small portion (pardon the pun) of the dominant forces that control long-term weight - namely hormone cycles and decision making. So while the 100lbs loss is an achievement, I'd be more interested in hearing how someone kept it off for several years – since that's presumably the ultimate goal and it requires overcoming what appear to be exponentially more difficult challenges. (The links below touch on supporting the above, but I think I should be able to find the papers/references for all the above.) [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3084499/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3084499/ [2] https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/presspacs/2010/acs-presspac-october-13-2010/new-evidence-that-fat-cells-are-not-just-dormant-storage-depots-for-calories.html https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/presspacs/2010/... [3] http://www.cell.com/current-biology/abstract/S0960-9822(14)01299-8?_returnURL=http%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0960982214012998%3Fshowall%3Dtrue&cc=y= http://www.cell.com/current-biology/abstract/S0960-9822(14)0...

deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
noir_lord 10y ago
I went from 250 to 185 (currently 183) in 7mths about 20mths ago, it's stayed off. All I do is count my calories everyday and add 10%, if it's less than 2630 (my BMR based on age, weight and activity) I'm good. If I go 200-300 over one day I go 200-300 under the next. Weight has been completely stable. It's the running total in my head that works for me as an incentive to not over eat.
- noir_lord 10y ago
  In fact I should point out I have the opposite problem, If I'm not careful I gradually start losing weight again, I dipped down to 180lbs over a few months and had to adjust my intake to climb back to 185. It's really hard to over-eat when you calorie track and eat healthy.

xpac 10y ago

I've been overweight for almost all of my adult life, and the level has been either steady or rising over the years (31 now). The only thing making me loose weight was 5 month studying abroad in Ghana (I'm from Germany). The ridiculous thing about it was: I didn't intend on loosing weight there. I ate as much as I liked whenever I liked it. Still, I lost about 15 kg in 5 months, and I didn't even notice it until the end of the trip when another student told me that I looked like it. What I noticed as a big difference in my habits: * no Drive-In, no McDonald's, no Burger King, no other franchise. So, no junk eating while driving (e.g. from work) * no fridge at the hostel (at least none you would want to use). So, no "I'm bored and will just get something from the fridge" * I'm not a cooking person, so almost all food required walking the 5 minutes to the small market. Not a long way, but it keeps somebody like me from boredom eating * the fucking heat =D no movement and a lot of sweating ;-)

brad0 10y ago

Hey Justin, just wanted to say good on you. While the physical change is great, it's a byproduct of the changes in your mind. Keep it up.

richardboegli 10y ago

AWESOME effort Justin Angel !!! :D It is great to see someone achieve their weight loss goals. Yes it is that “SIMPLE” and I know it can be done, as I too did it myself. I too had a massive weight loss goal (90 lbs / 40kg) and achieved it with the same basic principals, but in a slightly longer time frame (9 months / 40 weeks). I wrote a book about it (My Weight Loss Story: 40kg in 40 Weeks Without Exercise (90lbs in 9 months), instead of a medium post. ;) I personally (Richard Boegli) lost 40 kg in 40 weeks (90lb in 9 months) WITHOUT exercise. [90lb in 9 months (no exercise)]. I’m not trying to hijack your story! I would just like to provide another data point, that the basic principals do work. As I have found their can be a lot of scepticism, even though the math works! Justin Angel: How I lost 100lbs in 6 months [100lb / 6 months (with exercise)] I could do a line for line comparison, but these are the points that immediately came to mind as I read the article: Richard Boegli: [90lb in 9 months (no exercise)]: “Just Eat Less”, its in the preface of the book :) Justin Angel [100lb / 6 months (with exercise)]: "Calories In — Calories Out = Weight Change" Richard Boegli [90lb in 9 months (no exercise)]:: “I reduced my food intake” Justin Angel [100lb / 6 months (with exercise)]: “I reduced my daily caloric intake” Richard Boegli [90lb in 9 months (no exercise)]: “I lost on average 1kg (2.2lbs) a week, every week for 40 weeks WITHOUT exercise Justin Angel [100lb / 6 months (with exercise)]: “I would experience a 3lbs a week weight lose.” I chose to do it WITHOUT exercise, as my theory was that I would keep it off longer, if it wasn’t dependent on exercise. Every other time I lost weight in my life, it was a combination of diet and exercise. When the exercised stop, the weight would creep back up, as I was still eating too much. http://40in40book.com http://40in40book.com EDIT: Cleaned it up a bit.

NerdfaceKillah 10y ago

Congrats. Anyone ever tell you you look like Drake?

richardboegli 10y ago

Why did this article get flagged?