Back in 2012-2013 I re-booted my fitness, dropping my weight from around 220 to 175. It took me 8 months. The ingredients:
- A realistic weight target. For me, I want to be somewhere around 175-180lbs. I'm from stout German stock, so - seriously - anything less than 170lbs is, uh, just silly for my age and frame.
- Diet: balanced: fruit, veggies, lean meats (mostly chicken), quinuoa, etc. No big sources of carbs (rice, chips, etc). Reduced sodium. No dairy - except for modest amounts of cheese and yogurt. I pay attention to the potential calories of my food intake and make my choices accordingly. Lots of water. No meals or snacking after 8pm.
- Sleep. At least 7hrs. To bed by 11pm. I'm a habitual night owl, so 11 is "early" for me. A proper sleep schedule seemed to really help with my weight loss.
- Indoor Exercise. 5 days a week: 1/2 hr strength exercise (weight, squats, etc), 1/2 hr back exercises, 1hr cardio (usually programmed bike spinning). 2 consecutive days recovery. I typically exercise in the evening (7:30pm-9:30pm). I'll hydrate during and after. I'll also have maybe an ounce of some sort of protein after.
- Outdoor "exercise": 2-3 days a week: at least 2 mile walk/hike. 2-3 days a week skiing (winter). I do lots of other stuff, but I don't want to write a book here. The bottom line: I make a point of avoiding the couch.
The first 4 months my weight dropped around 20lbs. After that the weight loss was slower. I attribute this to increasing muscle mass. I bottomed at around 168 for a couple months (amazing, but not sustainable for me), and eventually settled at 175. Again, I'm pretty sure that was due to muscle mass.
Last year I had an injury (not skiing related) in April that took me off the active list for 3 months. Weight went up to 187. I resumed my exercise schedule in July. I'm at 182 as I write this. Weight loss has been slower this time around - but that's probably because 1) lots of traveling & family festivities this summer and 2) I haven't been skiing every week ... YET. [Sheesh, what a sucky winter so far in the PNW this year.].
Back when I started this program in 2012/2013, I was obsessed with my weight and calories. Too obsessed. I've since learned it's primarily about time and commitment. If I stay committed and stick with it then I'll eventually achieve and maintain healthy fitness, weight & BMI. Emphasis on "fitness". THAT is what really matters to me.