True story.

Last year, year 2010 (which was one of my worst years ever), I gained a whopping 10kg causing me to be at my heaviest weight ever - 55kg. My friends noticed, but they were nice about it. My family noticed and they were indirectly frank about it. I noticed it, but I kept denying it. Up until everything I owned couldn't fit or felt too uncomfortably tight, that was when I FINALLY acknowledged the fact that I'm gaining too much weight. Along with those incriminating Facebook photos my friends tagged me in (gee, thanks).

I calculated by BMI and I was within the first few levels of obesity. I never imagined I would ever be at that level of being obese, being the tiny-built person that I am - and I had always been so used to being the little petite creature. At that moment I felt like a petite baby hippo. It was an absolute nightmare.

That was then I told myself I will not allow myself to get to that point of obesity where my health would be at risk or when I'm unable to wear a dress and look presentably good. So I got myself a gym membership, researched all I could about fitness, and changed my life forever.

That was 5 months ago (May 2011) when I first started my new life.
I have since lost 8kg (standing at 47kg now) and I'm already within the normal, healthy BMI rate. I have a little more to go before I finally reach my target weight at 42-45 kg, anywhere within that range. :)

It wasn't an easy journey, and I had to motivate myself a lot. I still fall off the wagon at times, but I don't dwell on my failures (negativity helps with nothing) - I just have to do better the next day. Most importantly, I UNDERSTAND that weight loss is a process that takes time. It is not liposuction, it is a lifestyle change that will benefit me for life.

So if you're in the same boat as I was before, this would probably help a lot because it's not just a fitness article - it's my honest-to-God experience, summarized and put into bite-sized portions for easy-digesting of the mind.


These were my RULES for losing weight the HEALTHY way


Not relying on the scale but rather, how well my clothes fit & look on me. Remember that when you lose fat, you gain muscle and muscle weighs more than fat. So judge your weight loss with your clothes or a measuring tape.

Eat the right stuff. Choose grilled chicken over fried chicken, fruits over ice-cream, you get my drift. Weight loss is 60% diet, 40% workout.

Not counting those damned calories. Partially because I'm bad at math & too lazy to keep track, but counting calories is pointless because though a number adds up to an exact amount, that is not how your body works. Calories are invented as a reference to watch your daily intake. They are not your exact intake. Personally, I find calorie counting useful, but leads to VERY unhealthy behavior. Your body DOESN'T know math. Period.

Exercising 3-6 days a week. About 70% cardio with 20% strength and 10% abs. Cardio (like running) is what melts the fats away. Strength training is what builds the muscles (which will only show once the fat is gone) and helps you burn more calories even when you're not working out. Abs are what keeps your tummy looking' good.

Drinking more water, less alcohol. I think of alcohol as unnecessary calories. You don't benefit from it, you risk your kidneys from it and you get fat from it. Even ice-cream's way healthier. It's about time to cut alcohol out of your system.

Allowing myself to some ice-cream & chocolate - but in moderation. I know I can't live a life of not tasting chocolate ever again, so I work hard for a whole week, and by the end of it, I treat myself to some really good dark chocolate (stay away from milk chocolate) or some yummy ice-cream. Why work so hard to achieve that body but not enjoy the good things in life as well, right? Plus, the more you restrict yourself, the more likely you are to give in to a HUGE binge session one fine day.

NOT expect results overnight. Always remember this is a journey, not a liposuction treatment. There's no 'deadline' or time frame for you to get where you want to be. It'll be there, when you've put in enough effort in good time. Keep making good food choices and continue to work hard in the gym, as hard as you'll work for your career or in school to score that A. You'll reap the results, slowly but definitely.

Meditating. A peaceful mind harbors a peaceful body and a healthy self-image. This inspires you to do more and keeps you positive enough to avoid slacking. Learning how to meditate is not difficult. A poisoned mind can be hard to cure, so meditate, let the positive energies expel the negativity. This was something I learnt and included into my everyday life - and it works wonders for your mind. Clean mind, clean body.

Loving my body. Love every flaw and every curve. Loving myself was the best gift I could ever give to me. The moment I fell in love with myself, I fell in love with my body and I watched it become stronger and more beautiful as time goes on.

NEVER compare myself to someone else. Every person is different and not everyone is born a supermodel, but everyone is born UNIQUE.


There you go. In my journey of losing weight, I discovered myself and the positive energies within me. I discovered a whole new world of living life the better way. It is not materials, cars or money that gives one happiness. It is the positivity & love within us that breeds true happiness.