Success Story of John Smith

“I found discipline in my diet with Intermittent fasting.”

Why did you want to lose weight, what happened?

It was Labor Day weekend of 2021, and I went to a party at a friend’s house. At the party, I went to use the restroom and looked in the mirror. At that moment, I didn’t recognize the person that was staring back at me. I knew I had been gaining weight but didn’t really realize how much I had gained. I had an upcoming vacation planned for mid-October and it was clear that I needed to make a lifestyle change immediately. I was excited about my upcoming trip to Costa Rica and knew that if I didn’t make a change now, I would continue to feel bad about myself and it would affect my vacation. I realize you can’t perform miracles in 6 weeks; however, if I had a path to lose some weight before my vacation, it would leave me in a better mindset to enjoy my trip and help me build some confidence. At first, my weight loss journey started with walking on a treadmill. The first few days were difficult, but I was committed. Every day, it got a little easier. As I approached the end of September and had two weeks left before my vacation, I realized that cardio workouts, at my age, weren’t going to be enough to help me reach my goals. I needed to find a way to be more disciplined with my diet, but I wasn’t sure how to do this. After talking to a few friends and doing some research online, I decided that I wanted to try Intermittent Fasting. In my research, it was recommended to use a smartphone app to help me stay accountable. After doing additional research and reading some reviews, I decided to try the DoFasting app and I am so glad that I did.   

How much did you want to lose?

I started my journey at over 260lbs. My first plan goal was to lose 20lbs before my vacation and I was able to do that. That gave me confidence and a path forward so that I could relax and enjoy my vacation. During my vacation, I stayed disciplined through the process and only gained 3 lbs upon my return. My overall goal was to 75-80lbs.  

Did you try any diets prior to intermittent fasting?

I had some prior successes with Paleo but decided to commit to Keto right after Labor Day weekend. Once I decided to commit to intermittent fasting, I continued with Keto as I wanted to limit carbs as I shed weight. On average, I was losing 1 to 2.5lbs a day when I combined Keto, Intermittent Fasting and daily cardio workouts of 30-60 minutes.  

Have you had any setbacks throughout your intermittent fasting journey?

Not really. In finding discipline through intermittent fasting, it gave me structure and really allowed me to see what I was putting in my body for fuel. I am grateful for finding it, as it has changed my life!

Do you count calories at this moment?

Yes, I am still counting calories and macros. My typical daily calorie intake requirement is around 2,000 kcal per day, but I am also working on calorie deficit and strength training. I watch my meals every day.

Do you prefer to exercise while practicing intermittent fasting?

Yes. Like anything, you must have a plan and I decided to set up my weight loss journey in several phases.  

What would be your top advice for people who are just starting intermittent fasting?

If you are looking for discipline in your diet, intermittent fasting is for you. With its structure, I was able to commit to my eating and fasting windows and understood what food I was putting in my body.  It made me more aware of how important it is to eat more whole foods and less processed foods. It is a powerful tool that I would recommend to anyone. Additionally, I wanted to become less insulin-dependent and found the value in cell autophagy and reducing body inflammation through fasting.

Do you have anything extraordinary to tell us about your fasting journey?

No. Like any journey, it is a process and you have to commit to it. You have to want to change and be prepared for the ups/downs that come with it. Losing weight was just one part of my transformation and I am so glad that I did this. I have so much more confidence and believe that I can do anything when setting my mind to it.  

Could you share the names of your top intermittent fasting influencers?

I listened a lot to Dr. Sten Ekberg. His YouTube videos were so impactful as I learned a lot about intermittent fasting, making good food choices and how it can be a tool for me for the rest of my life.

What are your future goals?

I'm now aiming for a body fat percentage of 10%. I haven't reached my weight loss target yet, but I need to be patient. I've learned a lot about patience during this process. I didn't gain body fat overnight, so losing it would take patience and a plan. It may take months or perhaps years to achieve my goals, but I now know I can do this.

It is a journey where you learn a lot about yourself. I think one of my biggest takeaways from intermittent fasting is that it gave me the discipline I knew that was inside of me when it came to making food choices. I am grateful for that. It also gave me confidence that I can achieve my goals and have a plan to maintain this weight loss for the rest of my life!