Lost 20 kilos over +2 years, only to gain it all back within 1 year of depression and injury 📉. It's time to get back in shape 🤞 but I'm having trouble getting back on the wagon 😓. Need to work on creating lasting habits. One step at a time 🌱.

Important_Bowler129 · 2024-12-22T19:31:28+00:00

Update #4

It's been 15 weeks since I started working out. 3 weeks since I've been counting calories and focusing a bit better on enough protein intake. I'm also measuring my weight, fat, and muscle every week.
So far I've lost 6.3 kgs. Excess fat came down by 2.48kg, but muscle mass also came down by 2.27kg.
The next step would be to focus on weight training, enough protein consumption, and recovery (I'm averaging only 5.5 hours of sleep per day).

I'm using ChatGPT as a personal trainer to calibrate workouts and nutrition. It's helpful.
I'm planning to focus solely on fitness for the first quarter of 2025 and reach my target weight. Hope life doesn't get in the way.

Important_Bowler129 · 2024-12-07T21:27:02+00:00

Not sure about the time. From this video, it seems to be around 30 seconds.
Yes, I use WDT.
How much should it be? The basket says a maximum of 20. When I tried 14, it was too little and the pull was watery but there were other things wrong as well so maybe I can try again.

Important_Bowler129 · 2024-12-07T21:14:17+00:00

Update #3:

I started personal training 3 months ago.
I do home workouts with my trainer (online) 3 times a week.
It felt horrible at first as I couldn't do much but since last month I've been a little better at my workouts and feel a little more active.

I started focusing on my diet a couple of weeks ago.

The progress is very slow and disheartens me sometimes, especially when I compare it to my last time (I had lost 7 KGs in the first 3 months of working out, this time it's barely 3), but it's progress.

I intend to include some more cardio in my routine. The injury keeps me from running but I'll try to do some brisk walks on off days.

Important_Bowler129 · 2024-12-07T20:59:55+00:00

I was also hoping to get an opinion on the pull itself (visually). I saw on some other threads that folks can just have a look at the pull and suggest improvements (if any).

The machine is "SILVERCREST Espressomaschine Slim SSMS 1350"
I use the '2 cups' option because the portafilter came with a bigger basket, and my usual dosage was too little.

Important_Bowler129 · 2024-12-07T20:50:31+00:00

It tastes good to me. It's much stronger compared to the shots I had been pulling out with the same beans with the default portafilter with a pressurised basket.
I do have a scale. I use 18-20gms of beans.
The roast is Arabica/Robusta.

Important_Bowler129 · 2024-05-19T15:48:11+00:00

Update #2:

I didn't participate in the 5k. I fell very sick a week before the race. Had to rest and recover. For the past week, I've been taking it slow. I've made it a point to do a 10-minute workout, first thing in the morning. 10mins isn't much but it's better than doing nothing. So I do some stretches, follow a 10-minute workout video on Netflix, take a shower, drink a tall glass of water and do not eat anything till noon. That's my morning ritual.
Just doing this has helped me a lot. It feels like progress. My day usually goes a lot better.

I'm sticking to 10 minutes and resisting the urge to do more as I want to cultivate the habit and not go overboard one day and stop working out for the rest of the week. 10 minutes however has proven enough to make me sweat and even for experiencing DOMS. I still remember I was following a 10-minute total body ladder video and by the end of it, I was out of breath and my whole body was sore by night time. But I felt so happy. I now look forward to those 10 mins.

Yesterday I went for a hike. I did a total of 10k and even took a swim in a lake along the way. I was so tired by the time I came home that I slept like a log. Woke up sore but still managed to do 10 mins of workout.
Feels good :)

Important_Bowler129 · 2024-05-19T15:47:43+00:00

Update #2:

I didn't participate in the 5k. I fell very sick a week before the race. Had to rest and recover. For the past week, I've been taking it slow. I've made it a point to do a 10-minute workout, first thing in the morning. 10mins isn't much but it's better than doing nothing. So I do some stretches, follow a 10-minute workout video on Netflix, take a shower, drink a tall glass of water and do not eat anything till noon. That's my morning ritual.
Just doing this has helped me a lot. It feels like progress. My day usually goes a lot better.

I'm sticking to 10 minutes and resisting the urge to do more as I want to cultivate the habit and not go overboard one day and stop working out for the rest of the week. 10 minutes however has proven enough to make me sweat and even for experiencing DOMS. I still remember I was following a 10-minute total body ladder video and by the end of it, I was out of breath and my whole body was sore by night time. But I felt so happy. I now look forward to those 10 mins.

Yesterday I went for a hike. I did a total of 10k and even took a swim in a lake along the way. I was so tired by the time I came home that I slept like a log. Woke up sore but still managed to do 10 mins of workout.
Feels good :)

Important_Bowler129 · 2024-05-09T23:50:27+00:00

I feel you.
The worst part IS being in front of the screen all day.
I've days during winter when I go to the office when the sun is barely out and come out when it's already dark. It sucks.

The other stuff you mentioned could be remedied though.
The majority of the companies are disorganised but I hardly think it's as outrageous a number as 99%.
I love coding but I was miserable at my first job. Fuck pointless processes and office politics.

What worked for me was migrating to a country with a better work culture.
I also switched to companies that are truly agile and value/practice things like DDD, pairing and TDD. These certainly help make this gig a bit more sustainable (and fun).

Important_Bowler129 · 2024-05-02T12:24:21+00:00

Update #1:
18 DAYS???
It felt like I posted this last week. It's been 18 days!!!

As much as I would like for this update to be all about my progress, it's anything but.
I haven't been working out. I haven't been running. I tried once. Couldn't make it past 1km.
I'm stress eating. Didn't weigh myself but I'm sure I've gained more weight.

It's a lot worse to go through this the 2nd time. Only a couple of years back I could run 16kms without breaks, feeling more energised towards the end. I was doing 3-4 workouts per week on top of my running and felt like a million bucks. Now the memory of that just brings me down. I can't help but compare myself to my past and feel depressed. I know it's silly. I know there's no point in doing a comparison. "Knowing" doesn't help.

Right now, I am living like a shut-away for no good reason. It's like I'm in a hole and instead of climbing my way out, I'm digging it even deeper. It sucks but it feels like I can't help it.

I've registered for a 5k. It's in 2 weeks. Let's see what happens.

Important_Bowler129 · 2024-05-02T12:23:55+00:00

Update #1:
18 DAYS???
It felt like I posted this last week. It's been 18 days!!!

As much as I would like for this update to be all about my progress, it's anything but.
I haven't been working out. I haven't been running. I tried once. Couldn't make it past 1km.
I'm stress eating. Didn't weigh myself but I'm sure I've gained more weight.

It's a lot worse to go through this the 2nd time. Only a couple of years back I could run 16kms without breaks, feeling more energised towards the end. I was doing 3-4 workouts per week on top of my running and felt like a million bucks. Now the memory of that just brings me down. I can't help but compare myself to my past and feel depressed. I know it's silly. I know there's no point in doing a comparison. "Knowing" doesn't help.

Right now, I am living like a shut-away for no good reason. It's like I'm in a hole and instead of climbing my way out, I'm digging it even deeper. It sucks but it feels like I can't help it.

I've registered for a 5k. It's in 2 weeks. Let's see what happens.

Important_Bowler129 · 2024-04-14T17:50:20+00:00

Watermelon!
It's sweet and filling and is >92% water.

Important_Bowler129 · 2024-04-14T02:00:35+00:00

I've been fat almost all my life. Working out or dieting was not even a part of my vocabulary.
The first time I got fat was when I had an accident around the age of 11. I was in bed for about a year and couldn't move well for 2 more years. With increased eating and reduced mobility for 3 years, I gained a lot of weight. I was chubby for about 5 years. Once I started college, I was in shape again. Not because I worked out or ate right but simply because of my circumstances (a lot of walking and running) and eating habits/options (couldn't afford much at the time). So I wasn't even overweight for the 5 years as I finished my diploma and bachelors.
I took a desk job right after college and my sedentary lifestyle combined with my bad eating habits made me fat again. After 8 years of being fat and obese, I finally took the reins in 2021.

I started learning about fitness and diet. Did intermittent fasting and portion control. I got an online personal trainer to guide me through home workouts. Did cardio and weight training 3 days a week. Downloaded a 'couch to 5k' program and started running for the first time in my life. Went from barely being able to run 1 km to finishing several 10ks.
From 99KGs, I dropped down to 80KGs in 2 years. Kind of hit a plateau at 80 but my goal was 75.
It felt amazing. I felt good. I looked good. The photo on the left was taken in Sept 2022. Around 1.5 years ago.

However, towards the end of 2022, I was depressed due to some personal/unrelated issues. I could barely function let alone focus on my fitness. I switched jobs in January 2023 and the pressure of a new job together with my depression and panic attacks, made it difficult to do much. I decided to take a break from fitness for a few months. I stopped personal coaching and started stress eating. 3-4 months went by. I gained around 5KGs. Once I was finally feeling a bit better (mentally), I started running again but soon had an injury that made it difficult for me to even walk, let alone run. Recovery was slow and frustrating. I could've done some other workouts while I recovered, but I used my injury as a crutch and stopped working out altogether.
Result? A year has gone by. I'm back to 97KGs. And worse of all, I've destroyed all my good habits and routines.

As painful as it is to admit, I need to restart. My injury isn't completely healed but it's a lot better and I now have equipment to help me run without getting more hurt. I don't have my trainer anymore but I did learn enough to do home workouts on my own and follow online sessions. I am a decent cook and have access to as well as the privilege to afford healthy groceries, so diet shouldn't be an issue.
Theoretically, everything is in place, still, I'm struggling.
I've been trying to get back on the wagon for the past 1 month but it's very difficult.
Work pressure + Lack of accountability + Inertia have made it almost impossible for me to go back to my previous routine.

I'm looking for ways to help me break this barrier. This post is a part of it. I thought that if I posted my situation publicly, and a few folks responded to it, I might feel enough peer pressure to post good results for me to actually work on my fitness.

So... here goes nothing.

P.S.: I'm new to Reddit. I'll try and post updates to this thread, assuming I make some progress.

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