On October 1, 2022, my result was 76.10 kg (167.77 lbs). These are my results a week later.
| Item | Measurement October 9, 2022 | Measurement January 24, 2022 | Healthy Standard1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight2 | 77.10 (169.97 lbs) | 98.7 Kg (217.6 lbs) | 55.3-68.0 kg (121.9-149.9 lbs) |
| BMI2 | 28.3 (Overweight) | 36.2 (Obese) | 18.5-23.9 |
| Waist (circumference)3 | 97 cm (38.18 in) | 122 cm (48.03 in) | < 102 cm (40 in) |
| Hip (circumference)3 | 103 cm (40.55 in) | 120 cm (47.24 in) | |
| Waist to Hip Ratio (WHR) | 0.94 | 1.01 | < 0.9 |
| Blood Pressure4 (Systolic/Diastolic) | 112 mmHg/ 80 mm Hg | 137mmHg/ 95 mmHg | 110/70 mmHg- 145/90 mmHg |
| Body Fat2 | 28.2% | 36.2% | 18.0-23.0% |
| Visceral Fat2 | 14 | 17 | <9 |
| Total Weight Lost | 21.6kg (47.61 lbs) | 22.8% |
I Deliberately Gained Weight
Yes, instead of losing weight, I gained a kilogram in the past week. Purposefully. I will tell you why.
If you have followed my posting for the past 8 months, you would know that I am doing a combination of Intermittent Fasting and Calorie Deficit approaches to weight loss. I have an 8-hour window of eating in a day, followed by a 16-hour window of fasting. I am limiting my calorie intake to a maximum of 1,500 calories per day to create a daily 500-calorie deficit. Ideally, I add extra 600-calorie activities per day, to create a 1,100-calorie deficit. Over a week, the deficits will add up to 7,700 calories, which would enable me to lose about 1 kg (2.2 lbs) of fat.
Of course, it is a challenge to stick to that plan. I am stuck in my chair the whole day, and I am not a fan of physical exercises of any kind. So most of the time I would lose weight at a slower rate.
I am noticing that it takes a lower and lower calorie intake for me to lose weight. At first, I managed to lose weight by taking in 1400-1500 calories per day. Now it takes closer to 1200 calories or less to lose weight. I am worried that once I go back to eating a normal diet of 2000 calories per day, my weight will shoot up faster than a speeding train.
At this point, my Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) as calculated by the Body Smart Fat Scale is 1,486 calories per day. I’m supposed to be at 1,584 calories per day. Leading a sedentary (almost no exercise) life, my calorie needs would be around 1,900 calories per day. So eating a 1,500-calorie diet per day should be enough to maintain a calorie deficit.
I am reading an interesting book by Jason Fung, MD, called “The Complete Guide to Fasting.” One of the chapters is titled “Fasting for Weight Loss.” He says, “‘Eat Less, Move More’ Doesn’t Work.” He takes the example of The Biggest Loser contestants. It’s an American competition reality show that features obese or overweight people competing to win a cash prize by losing the highest percentage of weight relative to their initial weight.
‘The Biggest Loser’ has a 93% rate of sustainable weight loss failure
The contestants follow a strict diet and do vigorous physical exertion for several hours daily. A study of the contestants showed that in 30 weeks of filming they averaged 127 lbs (around 57 kg) of weight loss (page 154). For me who could only manage to lose 20 kg in 30 weeks, that is an amazing feat. Yet six years later, of the 14 contestants studied, 13 regained all the weight they lost. Because they forced their bodies to work on lower calorie intake, the body adapted by slowing the metabolism rate. The winner of season 8 of the show, Danny Cahill, lost 239 lbs (around 108 kg). But by that time, his body was burning 800 fewer calories. He ended up gaining all of the lost weight.
So what should we do to make sure that this doesn’t happen to us?
We will talk about it in the second part.
Life At Slow-Mo 
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