PsiFighter37

I lost over 20 pounds when this first started, but I have probably gained back about 10 of them...sitting in home for months on end, combined with an increase in beer intake (it's much easier to get great beer now, paradoxically), has taken its toll. I have also definitely lost upper-body strength overall given that gyms in NYC have been closed for months on end. That said, it's the longest stretch I have been at the weight I was at (am at) since high school, most likely - so hoping to keep it up through good discipline. Frankly, UA decreasing the quality of catering on-board will make it even easier to decline food and drinks on future flights and contribute to further health

United747

I crossed 30 lbs lost today - all through portion control and (near) daily exercise.

zrs70

I lost about 5 pounds in the first few weeks. It was nervousness. When I get nervous, I eat less. I gained most of it back. But I think much of it is muscle. With my twins approaching 1 year, I walk them every day 3.5 miles in the step hills. As they get bigger, I am getting stronger!

eng3

About a year before COVID, I had a bit of a medical scare that got me to eat healthier and lose about 80lb over the course of 8mo, then another 10lb over the course of the past 9mo. Though I started moderate exercise 30min a day, the weight lose with mostly just due to watching my overall calorie intake which was made easier by eating healthier. Exercise makes my heart stronger but has very little effect on weight loss. When travelling, I still ate the appetizer, polaris burger, and dessert in the PL then some of the appetizer, entree, and ALL the desert offerings in J. As I only take 3 intl trips a year, I did not find this made much of a difference. Since most of my flights are domestic, I did switch from soft drinks to water. Though I'd get the burger every now and then, I switched to the mezze sampler. I'd still eat the snack boxes, though I skip the candy items. While at my destination, I still eat pretty much normally. When travelling for work, my usual restaurant lunch changed to a simple salad, but I still get a nice steak or something for dinner at a restaurant. When traveling on vacation, I spend alot of time eating local cuisine. At home, I pretty much make all my meals at home. When you're only at home a few days between trips, it can be hard buying groceries for items that don't last.

During COVID, I haven't done any intl travel so no Polaris food. My domestic travel schedule is about the same. You dont really get food any more so I guess that's less calories. Depending on where I'm traveling, I'm either eating out at the same restaurants or getting takeout so I'm still eating to same foods, just perhaps colder and lower quality. Cutting intl travel has caused me to be at home more consecutive days making it easier to do grocery shopping. I now only go into the office about twice a week so that also adds some flexibility. So I wouldn't say COVID has made that big of an impact on my health, it has perhaps made it a little easier when at home more consecutive days.
Ironically, one could say my health is worse due to COVID. I had a major surgery just before everything shut down for COVID. I had a follow up procedure (which required me to travel) get delayed three times over two months. Several of my follow up doctors appointments got delayed and switched to phone calls making them less effective. I have some other doctors appointments that should be now but have been rescheduled to the end of the year because of reduced schedules. They shutdown everything when COVID started, so alot of hospitals, doctors office are mostly empty and there's a huge backlog. Sometimes, I think people forget that there are other diseases out there that aren't COVID.

bryanwallace

90pounds is a hell of a lot to lose!well done! 2/3rds of a person lost!keep it up!

eng3

Thanks, having a health scare is a great motivator.
Now in hind sight, I don't think I'd recommend losing that much weight so quickly as I believe it has slowed down my metabolism (BMR) . I tracked my weight, calorie intake, and calorie burn (the later being most difficult to estimate). I read some studies where they found that rapid weight loss can cause BMR to go down more than it should (ie biggest loser contestants). I also noticed that it was very easy to lose weight at the beginning vs towards the end. I guess that makes sense.
In the end, I don't thing weight loss requires anything fancy. Just calories in < calories out. Which often comes down remembering to substitute vs adding. Adding a salad is not healthier. Substituting something less healthy than a salad with a salad is healthy. Or simply eating less of something.
At least that's all I did.

entropy

I'm about 10 lbs lighter now than the beginning of COVID. For work I'm often on calls for hours at a time, much more physically productive if I'm on a spin bike at the same time!

seanp7

I'm 10 lbs heavier, and the heaviest I've been in my life. But I was always quite healthy on the road and doing hotel/corporate gyms on work trips. Missing that part a lot right now.

mahasamatman

When I lost significant weight, my goal was 1-2 pounds a week.

CIT85

I lost about 18 lbs. since we returned from Barcelona mid-March and I was subsequently laid off a week later. As someone else mentioned, it may have been stress related. I take an exercise class once a day. My weight has stayed down at ~157 lb, which I hadn't been since I graduated from college.

I have had to buy new jeans and shorts as my waist went from size 34 to size 32. I may have to buy new belts too.

TomMM

It's unfortunate that a lot of people don't use the pandemic as a motivator to improve their lives.

eng3

Well, I was referring to a personal health care. COVID only affects a very tiny percentage of people in that way. Even if one is in the even smaller percentage group where it became life threatening, I'm not sure getting heathier might not directly reduce the risks of being affected by it again. I think most people will only be motivated if a doctor says "if you dont get healthier, you're going to die or your lifespan is going to be a lot shorter than you expect". Otherwise, I think most people will just continue on as usual.

ryman554

Fat man here. FT brought me many things, including the ability to sit in the pointy end as cost effectively as possible. I am forever grateful to this community for this.

One side effect, observed when traveling with the family and sitting in economy -- I found myself over the past years more and more unable to actually fit in an economy seat! Helps when traveling with kids so you can raise the armrest and, well, your neighbor is 6 years old and small! So, if you're always sitting in the big boy seat, it's easy to gain the weight and not notice it!

So, COVID gave me back time on the ground, and, more importantly, time that I was going to use to commute. Turned it into running. 245/42+ inch waist is now 190/36- and still shrinking after:
1. Eating about 500 calories or so less a day (~1 pound a week)
2. Running 40 miles a week (1.5 pounds a week) -- don't try to do this if you've not run before, and I tell you back in March i was panting after two laps around the track and two mile runs required three walk breaks. Slowly built back up to 10 mile steady "long" runs on the weekend.

Result is a steady 2.5 pounds/week over COVID and a 50-60 pound overall weight loss. Horrifically obese to just a little fat now, and planning on being (BMI-wise, at least) nominal in the next month or so.

I bet I fit in the economy seat now. Can't wait to try.

eng3

I forgot to mention that. I do find I fit in the seats better and don't mind the narrow width.
However, on longer flights, I have found the seat to be less comfortable because I now have less "built-in padding", especially on those slimline seats

DELee

minimus tuchus paddus

David