Introduction
Hi everyone, and welcome to My BLOG.
Today, I want to share something deeply personal and meaningful—my 4-year-long weight loss journey, from 106 kg to 77 kg.
Unlike those transformation stories where people lose 30 kg in 3 or 6 months, mine was slow, messy, and far from perfect. But it’s real. And I hope my story can help or inspire someone who’s currently struggling with their own health and fitness.
Early Years: I Was Always “The Fat One”
To be honest, I’ve been overweight for most of my life. I was a chubby kid growing up, and I stayed that way throughout my teenage years and into my twenties. Over the years, I tried dieting here and there. A few times, I lost some weight. But I always gained it back.
I didn’t have any real structure or long-term plan. I was eating whatever I liked—rice, potatoes, fried foods, sugar—and I had no control over portion sizes.
I didn’t exercise regularly. I was also a smoker, drank alcohol, and was addicted to sweet milk tea. I used to stay up late at night, eat heavy meals, and had absolutely no routine. At the time, I wasn’t thinking about my health. I didn’t even realize how bad it had gotten.
The Wake-Up Call: 106 kg in 2020
By 2020, I hit my highest weight ever—106 kilograms. I didn’t recognize myself anymore. Physically, I felt tired, slow, and uncomfortable all the time. Mentally, I was irritable, low on confidence, and full of negative self-talk. I couldn’t sit for long, walk properly for more than a few minutes, or even climb stairs without getting breathless.
That was the wake-up call.
I knew I had to change. I tried to lose weight that year, but I couldn’t stick to it. My bad habits were deeply rooted. I was addicted to the comfort they gave me—even if they were destroying me from the inside.
The Turning Point: Quitting Smoking and Other Addictions (Mid-2021)
In the middle of 2021, something shifted. I decided to quit smoking. It wasn’t easy. But once I committed to it, I also began letting go of the things that triggered my cravings.
Here’s what I did:
Quit alcohol completely
Gave up milk tea, which I used to drink several times a day
Stopped hanging out with friends who encouraged those habits
Started sleeping earlier, which gave my body more rest and recovery
For the first time in years, I was slowly getting my energy and clarity back. I had fewer cravings, better sleep, and I started thinking clearly again.
This became the foundation for the rest of my weight loss journey.
Small Changes in Diet: One Meal at a Time
Along with quitting smoking, I made some dietary changes:
Completely cut raw sugar from my meals
Reduced rice and potato portions—though I loved them, I knew they were slowing my progress
Focused on whole foods like vegetables, eggs, and meat
Ate just one full meal at a time, instead of snacking all day
I also started doing 10–15 minute home workouts. Nothing crazy—just simple bodyweight exercises like jumping jacks, squats, and push-ups.
These small changes helped me drop weight from 106 kg to 90 kg in just 6 months. I was shocked. I had never lost that much weight in such a short time—especially without any personal trainer or dietician.
Moving to the UK: New Country, New Mindset
At the end of 2021, I moved to the United Kingdom. This new environment gave me an opportunity to build a new version of myself. I didn’t want to carry my old habits into my new life.
So I doubled down on what was working:
Continued eating a low-carb, high-protein diet
Made home-cooked meals the norm
Walked regularly and kept moving
Stopped emotional eating during stress or boredom
By sticking to these habits, I was able to maintain my weight around 90 kg. But I also realized something important—losing weight is easier than maintaining it, especially when you love food as much as I do!
Ups and Downs: The Struggle to Stay Consistent (2022–2023)
Throughout 2022 and 2023, I had several ups and downs. My weight would go up and down depending on how disciplined I was.
There were moments I gave in to cravings. I started eating rice and potatoes again in large portions. And because my body gains weight easily, I noticed the effects almost immediately.
During this phase, I realized that consistency is more important than intensity. A crash diet may help you lose weight fast—but unless you build a routine you can maintain, the weight always comes back.
Back on Track: The Real Shift in 2024
In 2024, I made a serious commitment to take my fitness to the next level. I was done with the back-and-forth. I began:
Tracking my meals
Eating in a moderate calorie deficit
Training with more structure and purpose
Saying no to food that didn’t serve my goals
This time, it wasn’t just about weight loss—it was about discipline, energy, strength, and becoming the best version of myself.
Joining the Gym: From Weight Loss to Muscle Building
After losing most of the fat at home, I joined a gym.
Why?
Because I wanted to:
Build muscle
Improve my posture and strength
Avoid looking “skinny-fat”
Challenge myself physically and mentally
Now, I’m learning how to do proper weight training, follow progressive overload, and increase my protein intake.
As of today, I weigh 76 kg, and I’m working on losing the remaining body fat and gaining lean muscle. I still have a long way to go, but I finally feel in control of my health.
Key Takeaways from My Journey
If you’re reading this and feel stuck in your own weight loss or fitness journey, here are some lessons from my experience:
💡 Start small. Even quitting tea or reducing sugar makes a difference.
🕒 Be patient. It took me 4 years. You don’t need to rush.
🛑 Quit harmful habits—they block your progress more than you think.
📉 Weight loss is about sustainability, not perfection.
🧠 Your mindset is everything. Once I believed I could change, I did.
🧘♂️ It’s easy to lose weight at first, but then comes the plateau phase — where results slow down. At that stage, you must choose patience over quitting — that’s when your mental strength truly matters.
- ⚖️ Maintaining your weight is harder than losing it — it takes awareness, balance, and long-term discipline.
💪 Stay consistent. That’s what separates temporary results from lifelong success.
🔚 Final Thoughts
This is not the end of my story—it’s just the beginning. I still have goals to reach, and I want to share my progress, failures, lessons, and tips with you along the way.
If you’ve made it this far—thank you for reading. If my story resonated with you in any way, feel free to share it. And if you’re on your own journey—whether it’s fitness, quitting a bad habit, or simply wanting to be better—you’ve got this.
Let’s grow together.
Stay strong,
Dilip Thakali