Weight Loss Stories – Mahesh Lost 160 Pounds in 12 Months

Name: Mahesh
Age: 33
Family Status: Single
Occupation: Business Analyst
Location: Dallas, Texas
Height: 5’11”
Waist: 32″
Starting Weight: 340 pounds
Current Weight: 210 pounds
Pounds or Inches Lost: I lost a total of 160 pounds. I had to bring my weight down to 180 pounds before I started building muscle which brought my weight back up to 210 pounds!

Mahesh’s Weight Loss Story!

When did you become unhappy with your weight?
About 2 years into my illness. I was roughly 16 years old.

What made you decide to lose weight?
At the point I was diagnosed with Perthes Disease I was based in Sri Lanka. Being a third world country there were not many facilities for disabled individuals. Most of the daily activities were beyond my reach. For example, my high school had no elevators and I had to crutch 5 floors to get to my class. In addition, most of my classmates were not used to the idea of a friend being on crutches which resulted in me being treated differently. As a result I was left out from most of the activities. Lastly, I was at a point that my weight was causing many health issues including the increased difficulty in using crutches.

What were the most important changes you made to lose weight?
I had to change my lifestyle. This includes what activities I partake in on a regular basis to the foods I consume.

What was most challenging about losing weight?
The most challenging was to learn about nutrition, proper caloric intake and the right physical activity to achieve the best results. Not seeing any changes for the first few months was very hard.

How long did it take you to start to see results?
It took me close to 3 months to see very little results. Once the first three months passed, the weight was shedding exponentially.

How long did it take for you to reach your current weight?
I had to do the weight loss and muscle gain in phases. Losing 160 pounds took me close to 1 year. Once I lost all the fat, I had to get in shape by lifting weights to reach a certain level of muscle mass.

How long have you maintained your weight loss and how do you do it?
I maintained a weight of 190 pounds for about 5 years and then decided to go up in weight and push my body more once I was sure that my hip was now healed. I do it with a mixture of cardio (swimming, running, etc), CrossFit training, weight training and sports.

What keeps you motivated to continue your weight loss success?
The final result. I have set a certain goal and I will not stop until I reach it. Having people who have similar goals around me has helped.

How has your life changed now that you’ve lost weight?
I am more confident about myself and I’m more aware of my body and its physical limitations. In addition, it has given me freedom to pursue my life goals.

Do you have any advice for others who are trying to lose weight?
Yes. Find people who have similar health goals. Create a competitive atmosphere among those friends to reach a realistic set goal and strive to reach it. Understand that there will be setbacks but always stay focused on the end result. Fitness is a lifestyle and unless you change your lifestyle you will not be able to reach those goals you set.

Mahesh’s Weight Loss Tips!

Weight loss tip #1:
No carbs at night.

Weight loss tip #2:
Portion control.

Weight loss tip #3:
Eat frequently to increase your metabolic rate.

Weight loss tip #4:
Do some form of high intensity training.

Weight loss tip #5:
Set a goal. Unless you have a goal you will not be able to measure progress.

Mahesh’s Weight Loss Eating Plan!

Breakfast:
3 whole eggs, 7 egg whites, protein shake, almond milk.

Lunch:
Some form of starch (5 ounces), some form of lean protein (8 ounces) and about 2 cups of vegetables.

Dinner:
Some form of starch (5 ounces), some form of lean protein (8 ounces) and about 2 cups of vegetables.

Snacks or Mini Meals:
For all meals, I take time to eat them. Bigger meals I sometimes break into two portions. In addition I like oats, protein bars, fruits, juicing, deli meat, etc.

Nutritional Supplements:
Joint supplements, vitamins, protein powder, branched chain amino acids.

Mahesh’s Weight Loss Workouts!

Weight Training:
I didn’t start weight training until I was out of crutches. Therefore, my initial weight loss was primarily due to swimming. Once the weight was taken off and I was sure my hip was stable, I started weight training. When I am bulking I try to do lower reps with heavy weight. If I am toning I do moderate weight with higher reps. I workout once a day for about 1 hour and give my body a break when I feel like it needs it. I break up the workouts into body parts. Usually a major muscle group with a minor.

Cardiovascular:
For the first few years it was swimming. Since I learned how to swim while I was on crutches with the intention of losing weight, my first few months were very weak. I may have done 10 laps in a 33.3 meter pool. In about 5 months I was swimming laps for about 1.5 hours without stopping. I did this every day until I reached 180 pounds. Eventually, I added weight training and changed my cardio appropriately. During bulking I try to do at least 3 days of high intensity cardio for about 30 to 45 minutes to preserve my body fat percentage. I increase this during the toning phase.

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