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How This Reddit User Lost 30 Pounds in 12 Weeks Through Dietary Changes and Exercise

Read about how the Reddit user 'physguy84' lost 30 pounds in 12 weeks through limiting caloric intake, reducing processed foods, and adopting a regular exercise routine.

Article by Madeleine Smith

A before and after photo of a 6'1" male showing a snapshot of 244 pounds at a height of 6'1
A before and after photo of a 6'1" male showing a snapshot of 244 pounds at a height of 6'1
A before and after photo of a 6'1" male showing a snapshot of 244 pounds at a height of 6'1
A before and after photo of a 6'1" male showing a snapshot of 244 pounds at a height of 6'1
Introduction - 28/M/6'1"/244 - casual - (Start: August 21st, End: November 13th)
Originally posted on /r/BTFC

Setting a goal and a plan

When Reddit user 'physguy84' realised that he had a lot of weight to lose, he set a realistic goal for himself: to lose 30 pounds in about 12 weeks. To achieve this, he decided to limit his daily caloric intake to around 1500 calories, and focus on reducing the intake of highly processed food. To maintain a steady weight loss of 2 pounds a week, he needs to create a caloric deficit of around 7000 calories per week. Along with dietary changes, he started the couch to 5k program, and added some strength training to burn additional calories.

Changing Dietary Habits

Changing one's dietary habits is fundamental to successful weight loss. For physguy84, avoiding highly processed foods worked best. Processed foods are often high in sugar, sodium, and unhealthy fats, and are devoid of essential nutrients. Instead, he focused on eating nutrient-dense foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats like avocados and nuts. He also limited his alcohol intake, avoided sugary drinks like soda, and kept a food diary to track his caloric intake.

Adding Exercise to the Routine

Exercise helps not only burn calories but also builds muscle mass. For physguy84, adding the couch to 5k program and some strength training helped him maintain his caloric deficit and stay motivated. Running and strength training can lead to an afterburn effect, where the body continues to burn calories even after the workout session has ended. That helped add an additional caloric deficit to his diet-based approach.

Lessons Learned

It's essential to establish sustainable habits and expectations. Physguy84 didn't aim for perfection but made realistic adjustments to his lifestyle that he could maintain in the long run. Setting a goal and making a plan helped him stay motivated and accountable. He also found support from fitness communities on platforms like Reddit. Sharing the progress and difficulties with others helped him stay on track.

Takeaways

Changing dietary habits and adopting a regular exercise routine can help achieve healthy weight loss. The key is to set realistic expectations and find habits that are sustainable in the long run. Tracking progress and sharing it with others can help stay motivated and accountable. Everyone's body and lifestyle are different- one may need to experiment before finding a plan that works best for them.

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Madeleine Smith

Content Lead at MyProgressPics.com

Madeleine is passionate about empowering individuals with the information and tools they need to transform their bodies and lives.