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One Year Weight Loss Journey: a Reddit User's Experience

Follow a Reddit user's one-year weight loss journey and the diet and exercises that helped him achieve his goals.

Article by Madeleine Smith

A photo of a 5'8" man showing a snapshot of 136 pounds at a height of 5'8
M/29/5’8’’ [136 > 136 = 0] 1 year progress. Don’t really have anyone to share with. Feeling bigger somehow?
Originally posted on /r/progresspics

Introduction

For many people, weight loss is a journey that is difficult to embark upon or stay motivated to continue. However, one Reddit user named Nordael found success in his weight loss efforts.

Diet and Exercise

Nordael followed a simple calorie-in, calorie-out (CICO) diet, eating 2,400 calories a day without restricting any food groups or meal times. He focused on vegetables and fruits because low calorie foods were important to him. Nordael also made sure to eat enough protein at around 150 grams per day.

Results

After a year of adherence, Nordael managed to lose weight and put on muscle. He managed to go from 16% to 12.6% body fat, and his maintenance calories increased from 2,200 to 2,400 per day. Due to a physical condition, Nordael had a DXA scan every year, which helped him track his progress through an objective lens.

Challenges

Nordael found it difficult to switch from dieting to purposefully putting on weight, which he needed to do to add more mass. He was afraid of ballooning up after a few weeks of eating 3,000 calories a day. He dealt with this irrational fear by reminding himself of the control he had over his own body.

Encouragement

Nordael's story shows that with a simple, pragmatic approach, anyone can achieve weight loss goals with a little bit of discipline and dedication. His example is an excellent reminder that weight loss is almost entirely within our control, even when it can seem like it is not.

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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.