Somehow, I went from a lean, active teen to a slow-moving desk potato. Between the grind of early morning commutes and late-night shifts to pay for a life I couldn’t afford, I let my health slip into a dopamine-fueled trance. I weighed 223 pounds with a BMI of 32, which put me firmly in the obese category. One day at work, as I sat down, my belly popped my shirt button because it was hanging over my belt — it hit me like a sledgehammer: Jay, you’re overweight.
Discover the powerful fat-burning method that helped me lose 56 pounds in under a year and maintain the best shape of my life. This isn’t just another weight loss article; it’s a guide to transforming your perspective on exercise, optimizing your workout routine, and mastering mindful eating habits. Get ready to revamp your approach to fitness and achieve sustainable results. Learn how to enjoy the process, integrate Zone 2 cardio, implement a structured weight training regimen, and plan your meals carefully. Are you ready to transform your life?
Change your association with losing weight
My entire life, I have only ever thought of exercise as a vehicle to lose weight. Most folks do it. It hurt my progress for a long time. I would source my dopamine rewards from finishing a workout. My internal dialogue when I wasn’t up to the gym would always be, “Jay, imagine how good you’ll feel afterwards.” The major problem is that it demotivated me when I constantly sourced my internal rewards system with the finish line in mind.
Famous Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman says celebrating the win more than the pursuit sets you up for failure in the future.
AH — “The keys are to pursue rewards, but understand that the pursuit is actually the reward if you want to have repeated wins. The celebration has to be less than the pursuit. And that’s hard for some people to do.”
Find the joy in exercise. Because I enjoyed going for a stroll and in no way related it to exercise — instead just a way to get fresh air — I went after work and on the odd morning. My extra step count meant I craved more hydration and burned more calories. I didn’t know it then, but enjoying a walk and detaching it from exercise and weight loss was the catalyst for my life-changing transformation, which I have sustained to this day.
Zone 2 Cardio
Think of a brisk walk or low-intensity jog where you can manage a conversation while moving: That’s zone 2 cardio. I only aimed to complete the 5km loop around my neighbourhood when I started running. Studies show that this moderate intensity of exercise “enables you to use fat as an energy source for longer and more efficiently.” Running was just a way to address the heavy feeling in my chest caused by the pandemic fiasco.
My routine started with walking and low-intensity “Zone 2” cardio, which evolved into weight training three times a week. This gradual progression was the gateway to my fitness transformation. This incremental ratcheting of my fitness removed intimidation for exercising, which excited me because the bar didn’t feel as high.
My unique but effective weight training regime
This is where I brought in the reinforcements. I needed an expert to whip up a plan to fit my life and cut out the guesswork. Chris, the online fitness pro I used, sat me down. After looking at my social calendar, we decided that my core training days should be Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday because it breaks the back out of my workload for the week before the weekend when I’ll inevitably get distracted by social events.
So those days are locked in, but I also have the option of repeating the same sessions from Thursday or Friday onwards, i.e. Monday’s session on Thursday. Here is a bird’s eye view of my weekly routine:
- 8,000 daily steps (two 20 min walks)
- Three weight sessions weekly
- Three (Zone 2) cardio sessions weekly
Each training day, I do a full-body workout, one exercise for my main muscle groups. Before you launch a full-scale assault in the comments section, there’s substantial research that the little and often approach is optimal for muscle building. Research shows locking in cardio after weight training is optimal for weight loss.
Here’s my typical session
(This is not set in stone — I change it up every so often)
Barbell Flat Bench Press:
- 3 sets
- First 2 sets: 8 to 10 reps
- Third set: drop set 12–15 reps
Dumbbell Stiff-Leg Deadlifts:
- 3 sets
- First 2 sets: 8 to 10 reps
- Third set: drop set 12–15 reps
Seated Leg Press:
- 3 sets
- First 2 sets: 8 to 10 reps
- Third set: drop set 12–15 reps
Pull-Up (Wide Grip):
- 3 sets
- First 2 sets: 8 to 10 reps
- Third set: drop set 12–15 reps
T-Bar Row:
- 3 sets
- First 2 sets: 8 to 10 reps
- Third set: drop set 12–15 reps
Dumbbell Lunges:
- 3 sets
- First 2 sets: 8 to 10 reps
- Third set: drop set 12–15 reps
Superset: EZ-Bar Curl with EZ-Bar Skullcrusher:
- 3 sets
- First two sets: 8 to 10 reps
- Third set: drop set 12–15 reps
Here’s my typical day eating
(Again, I change what I eat every so often for variety)
I’m all about counting every calorie. It’s actually about managing cravings rather than just pegging yourself to a metric that may not be accurate, given that we all process foods differently. However, having a calorie cap helps you self-regulate better and understand where you’re headed.
What works for me is eating 500 calories per meal for three main meals and 250 calories for each snack. Each main meal will have an equal blend of all three macros (Proteins, Carbs, and Fat). This prevents hunger pains and keeps me satiated for long periods. I also drink 3 litres of water daily.
The calorie count is based on a daily intake of 2,000 calories, 500 less than my Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) of 2,500. You can use any online calculator to calculate yours.
Breakfast:
- Two tablespoons of almond butter (190 cal) on two pieces of rye bread (160 cal) with a scoop of whey protein in water (130 cal)
Snack:
- Half a Grenade bar (110 cal)
Lunch:
- 150 grams of turkey breast cooked (245 cal) + one large whole wheat tortilla (150 cal) sprinkled with 30 grams of part-skim mozzarella (90 cal), served with a side of mixed greens (20 cal)
Snack:
- The other half of the Grenade bar (110 cal) and an Americano with a splash of skim milk (130 cal)
Dinner:
- Half a cup of quinoa (111 cal), half a cup of black beans (114 cal), one serving of grilled salmon (145 cal), and one tablespoon of flaxseed oil (120 cal), accompanied by a serving of steamed broccoli (30 cal)
You’re giving mistakes way too much wiggle room
Not tracking properly was my rookie error. Before using Apps like MyFitnessPal, I underestimated my calorie intake. Sometimes, I was off by thousands. Research shows a big reason for obesity might be thinking you’re eating well when you’re not.
Two things locked in my consistency:
- Using technology effectively: My smartphone became my fitness hub. By scanning barcodes, I tracked every meal, including litres of water, calories, and macros. My phone also tracked my steps, adding another layer of activity monitoring.
- Accountability: I teamed up with a gym friend and later an online coach who checked in on me weekly. This accountability helped ensure I stayed committed to my journey.
Final Thoughts
One last thing I haven’t mentioned is ENJOY LIFE! So many times, I’ve wanted to get into shape, but I punted social events and avoided meeting friends. Every bite of cake would fill me with regret when I arrived at family parties, which was plain wrong.
I made the mistake of trying to win my fitness journey through sheer willpower, but that approach is not sustainable. The only skill I had to master was letting my hair down but getting back in the saddle the day after and not letting Saturday’s party follow me into Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
I’ve revamped my weight loss perspective to enjoy the process, not just the finish line. I integrate Zone 2 cardio or low-grade movements and have graduated to a structured weight training regimen. I plan my meals carefully around macronutrients and foods I enjoy, and I’ve tightened my tracking to minimise mishaps. It’s the most effective method I used to strip fat.