Hello! Back with me again after a long time! This time I would like to share my weight loss journey, an almost 3 years battle (that is far from over). But I am quite satisfied with the result now!
始めましょう!
STAGE 1: THE CHUBBY BUNNY (AUGUST 2019 – MARCH 2020)
I just came back from Indonesia in August 2019 and at that time I had already published the necessary paper for graduation (at least for the school’s requirement), so I started to have ample time to think about other things than my papers. As I was skimming through my holiday pictures, I realized that I was… SO ROUND!!
I then looked at my picture with my full body picture with my friend having lunch together. At that time she was pregnant but maybe I am the one that looks like a pregnant lady. ヤバすぎる!
I weighed 49 kg, the heaviest in my life so far. For my height of 142.5 cm, my BMI was 24.10. It is almost overweight on the NHI scale and already above the healthy range for Asians.
Aug 2019: 49 kg 142.5 cm BMI 24.1
I and my bae then make a game plan. Every week we will go grocery shopping together and we always fill my fridge with healthy stuff and no carbs for dinner.
Having the (actually yuck-tasting) green smoothies. Cooking healthy bento.
I did yoga a bit but mainly the sports are cardio (HIIT) or running. As finally, I graduated Ph.D. in March 2020, here is my result
I weighed 45 kg (I lost 4 kg!). For my height of 142.5 cm, my BMI was 22.10. And I am already in the healthy range for Asians!
Mar 2020: 45 kg 142.5 cm BMI 22.1
STAGE 2: STRESS RELATED WEIGHT LOSS (April 2020-October 2020)
The first 6 months of working were very hard for me. Sometimes I did not have an appetite at all, and sometimes I binged eating. I did not do sports at all but still, I lost weight…
In October 2020. I weigh 42.7 kg (I lost 2.3 kg!). For my height of 142.5 cm, my BMI was 21.0.
Oct 2020: 42.7 kg 142.5 cm BMI 21.0
STAGE 3: THE WRONG WAY OF LIFE (October 2020-January 2021)
After October 2020, somehow I feel better and feel like I start to be more sociable (although I know I am not, I am not at all, I am just trying to!). Anyway, being an It Girl here means a lot of partying, eating out, and snacking.
STAGE 4: STRESS WEIGHT LOSS PART 2 (January 2021-August 2021)
As I am trying to change from January 2021, I start to limit food intake and calculate calories (although not seriously), but it was hard. I did not really have time to do sports because my laboratory has to move to a new building.
As I managed to lose a bit of weight, finally I am back again like the middle-school Afifa, the awkward misfit nerd. It was so stressful and hence I lost weight again…
In August 2021, I weigh 42.7 kg again (I lost that 2.4 kg back), For my height of 142.5 cm, my BMI was 21.0 again.
STAGE 5: STRESS VS BINGE VS STRESS VS BINGE (August 2021-April 2022)
After that my year was in turmoil. Many things happened together. I was so afraid of my workplace, and I am still now, actually. But my fear management is better, I think.
I was so addicted to Uber eats and I binged eat a lot. Sometimes I could order Uber 3 times a day. But since I was so stressed, although I do zero sports my weight was stable at around 43 kg.
STAGE 6: I WANT TO BE HEALTHY (April 2022 onwards)
Finally, on one faithful day, after one faithful discussion that left me questioning my sanity, I decided to just let everything go. No matter how hard I fight I know I will never win this battle. And no matter how hard I try I will just never be the beautiful It Girl and a social butterfly. Just accept it, I am also Allah’s creation that should be valued the same as a beautiful It Girl, right?
What’s my sustainable strategy now?
- Record it
This is the health category on my phone. I am using Mealligram and Lose It to do food journaling and calorie counting, respectively. To reduce my anxiety I tried to make a very detailed record of everything. If I don’t do it, then I would start questioning whether I am really doing it or not.
Lose It! That allows easy calorie counting with a cute interface (left), and Mealligram as a food diary! I love inputting my own recipe in Lose It! As a scientist, I found it very calming to count food calories, put my own recipe in the database, and even weigh every meal I have. It is just something I do very naturally daily. And you can just scan barcodes for food that we buy in supermarkets or convenience stores. It is that easy to do calorie counting and pick healthy food alternatives in Japan.
- Exercise as I can
For sports, I try to do yoga and/or walking every day, sometimes HIIT or dancing if I have enough energy. After dinner walk is nice, I can do it inside the convention center in front of my apartment, no one is there, and it has an air conditioner.
- Opt for healthier alternatives and better food composition
I try to increase protein intake and try to avoid carbs for dinner. Buying a 100 kcal meal to suppress my desire to order Uber Eats when I am tired of cooking.
But still, don’t be too strict and be realistic and kind to yourself.
- Use a smart scale and take a full-body selfie to monitor your progress
I have not read any journal article about the accuracy of these smart scales but at least we can approximate our body composition. Now my body fat is inside the healthy range, but I still need to reduce my subcutaneous fat! I also take full-body selfies almost every day to monitor my progress and boost my confidence. Trying to reassure myself that every girl is beautiful including awkward me.
And that’s it, so far it has been so fun ❤
And this is me today! Of course, I still need to reduce my waistline, but I am quite satisfied with my body now! Today when I tried clothes, I took the M size, but the shopkeeper was offering me the S size one! LOL. Just imagine from the left one (2019) to today (2022).
I am also quite satisfied also to see my body composition! Let’s see how it compares with almost the same date last year!
My body fat was reduced from 29.5% to 26.7% and I honestly think that is the most important! My family has a history of high blood pressure and cholesterolemia and since I am almost 31 years old, I have to be very careful! I don’t really know from now on how it will be, but at this moment I want to continue this lifestyle and reduce my subcutaneous fat!
Because being healthy is beautiful! And it is OK not to be an It Girl, just be me, the awkward and misfit bunny ૮꒰ ˶• ༝ •˶꒱ა ♡.
With love,
Afifa Ayu Koesoema ♡ ´・ᴗ・ `♡.