Day 783: Finally Under 80kg…Why Did It Take So Long?!

G’day,

Early this morning I saw a number that I have not seen since August 2009…79.9 kg! This 80kg (176.3 lbs) barrier has been the “final boss” for me ever since I rebooted my blog on Day 1 at 124.4kg (274.2 lbs).

Here’s the interesting thing, when I first cracked the 90kg barrier on Day 153 I thought it would only be around eight more weeks before I cracked 80kg. Little did I know that it would be another 630 days before I went under 80kg!

So, if I could drop around 35kg in 153 days why did it take 630 days to drop another 10kg? Well, there were a few additional factors at play once I got into the mid-80kg range: loose skin; injuries and a mindset/motivation plateau.

The “Loose Skin” Factor

I’ll address the most important factor in this post, loose skin after weight loss (4 previous blog posts on the issue). Once I hit 86.4kg at the end of Mission 2 on Day 174 I noticed “loose skin” around my lower abdomen. At first glance I thought it was a “lighting” issue! Then when I took a closer look at the prior three day’s worth of pictures I could see it as plain as day. 

The strange thing is that while I knew of loose skin as a phenomena I never considered the possibility I would end up with it. In hindsight, I should have known it was on the cards as I was losing weight at a rate of 5kgs every three weeks.  

Once I realised my issue I started looking for natural “skin tightening” solutions to correct it and/or keep it at bay. The first and most obvious thing I had to do was halt my weight loss. I decided for Mission 3 and beyond I would keep my weight between 85-88kg, at the time a radical shift in my shredding mindset! 

My “Skin Tightening” Nutrition Plan

The second thing I did was adjust my nutrition. I upped my intake of “skin tightening” foods (bone broth, eggs and berries to name a few) and eliminated foods with added sugar. My “reward meals” would now consist of fruit and yoghurt, instead of ice cream and assorted sugar-laden foods. 

This transition to more natural “reward meals” took time but I can now proudly say that I am six months “junk food” free. A major unexpected benefit has been the avoidance of “digestion” issues that always came the day after a junk food hit. Besides that, in-season fruit mixed with yoghurt and a dash of raw honey is more than enough sweetness for my palate.

The last thing I did was eliminate alcohol. I know for many people this may be the toughest thing to give up (especially the weekend “social drinks”) but I had already gone six months without a drop. It was basically just a matter of staying on my current path. I do make an exception for special occasions like Christmas, birthdays or finishing a triathlon but I am now alcohol-free for about 360 days of the year. 

“Loose Skin” Natural Treatment: 18 Month Results

So, after 18 months years spent following my skin tightening  plan (and the last two months knocking off 5 kg in weight) what are my results? Judging by my pictures below on Day 174 and Day 883 I think there has been some improvement in the loose skin around my lower abdomen. The stretch marks that were obvious in the first picture seem to have subsided. 

However, it is clear that there are limits to what I can do naturally to reverse loose skin. The problem itself is a side effect of losing weight too quickly in the beginning.

Would I Have Changed My Approach? 

The question I often ask myself is… knowing what I know now, would I have chosen to lose weight a slower pace over the first 174 days? The answer is a “provisional” yes. Instead of going at 5kg every three weeks perhaps I would have aimed for 1kg per week. The tricky part of the equation is balancing tangible results and momentum with loose skin concerns. 

At the end of the day I am happy where I am today. After spending 12 years of my life either overweight or obese I feel like I’ve got a second chance at life. In other words, I’ll take some loose skin over the risk of still being stuck at 120 kg due to lack of momentum.

Until next week…

Eat Clean,
Shred Hard,
Think BIG!

Adam Waters