On the other side of a hundred: how Alexey Orlov was able to lose weight from 103 to 78 kilograms

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Today Lifehacker together with the triathlon club "" begin publishing a series of articles "On the other side of a hundred". You will learn how ordinary people, like you and me, through sports have lost weight from over 100 kg to a state that is commonly called normal or even athletic.

In addition to reading about other people's exploits, in the comments you can ask questions to the hero of the publication, who has achieved such impressive results. We will be posting articles from the Beyond the Hundred series on a regular basis for several months. Find out how to achieve the impossible and ask your questions to our heroes. And they will answer, we promise.;)

Meet the first hero - professional Alexei Orlov.

1. What was your maximum weight and when was it?

The maximum weight was 103 kg with a height of 180 cm. The size of the T-shirts is XXL (now M). It was in February 2014. But at that time I did not weigh myself often, so maybe at some moments it was even more.

For the first few days, try to count calories as accurately as possible, this is important.

2. At what point did you decide that something needed to be changed?

The understanding that something needs to be changed has been around for a long time, but it was difficult to decide and get down to business seriously. There was no certainty that there was enough willpower. In addition, I have already tried to lose weight a couple of times, but both times I broke down halfway.

The main impetus was the realization that I am in such a deplorable physical shape that it’s just a shame: it’s hard to climb the stairs at my age. In addition, my daughter is growing up, and I want to set the right example.

Every morning you have to get up on the scales. Is always. If you don't watch every day, you immediately lose control and you relax. This is a proven thing.

3. How did you start? How did you lose weight? What helped you achieve your goal?

Here I immediately decided two things. The first is to lose weight quickly. Despite the fact that it is generally not advised to do this, I knew that I might simply not have enough willpower for a long and tedious weight loss. Plus, when you lose weight quickly, you see results, and this is additionally motivating. And I also decided not to follow any diets. There is only one principle - spend more than consume.

During the active phase of losing weight, find such physical activity that, on the one hand, is interesting to you, and on the other hand, it is highly intense. It will help maintain a negative calorie balance and speed up your metabolism. It can be anything: tennis, trampoline, hockey, badminton - if only it was interesting. The only thing I advise you to be careful at the initial stage with running. He very much provokes beginners to records, and injuries immediately follow, especially considering the excess weight. Then, when you've gotten rid of the excess, running is a great option, but for now, it's best to try something different.

For several days I counted calories, then I realized approximately how much you can eat. I started going to a fitness club. Mostly boxing and mixfighting. This is a high-intensity workout, you just crawl away from it - I like it so much. Running and triathlon appeared a little later. All in all, created a fairly large calorie deficit. As I understand it, the body makes reserves to survive difficult times, so it arranged them for him.

And I also did one thing that personally helped me a lot: I wrote a weight loss plan in my google calendar. I figured that I wanted to lose weight up to 80, that is, by 23 kg, and for each week I wrote the planned weight based on the fact that I would, on average, lose 1 kg per week. It turned out that the 80 mark will be at the beginning of July. And every week, next to the planned one, he entered the current weight. By July, he was already 78 kg. Since then, it has been holding on, give or take. But you can't relax, you have to take care of yourself.

4. How did the people around you react to the changes that happened to you?

Everyone groaned and gasped, what really. Some, who had not seen me for a long time, had their jaw falling to the floor, and some did not even recognize me. The main thing is that my beloved wife is happy and I myself. It's a damn good feeling to know you did it. It was the same when I quit smoking after 12 years of experience.

In addition to the scales, monitor your progress with a measuring tape. The rapidly decreasing volumes will further delight.

5. What has changed in your life after you lost weight?

In fact, a lot has changed. Along with losing weight, my lifestyle completely changed. Previously, the main entertainment was drinking beer with a variety of snacks and watching TV shows. There was simply no strength for something else. Now I began to do a lot of different sports - I feel a hundred times better.

It became much easier to work. Before, after a working day, I would fall exhausted, my legs were buzzing. Now, especially since I started running, work no longer seems like a serious burden. By the way, my back stopped hurting, it used to be.

Alcohol is very difficult to lose weight, even in small amounts. Very much straight.

And one more important point. Previously, such a depressing thought was often pursued, they say, I got fat like a pig, I need to lose weight, tomorrow I'll start, damn it, again tomorrow, and so on. Every time you look in the mirror, the mood gets spoiled. Now it's over. Like a mountain off your shoulders in fact.

6. How much do you weigh now? What helps to keep fit?

The weight is now 78 kg. I would like to drop to 75, but here it is already more difficult. Both exercise volume and moderation in food help maintain. Without this, now there is nothing.

Make a weight loss plan. Write right on the calendar: this week I will weigh so much, this week - so much. For example, you want to lose weight from 100 to 80 kg in five months. This is an absolutely realistic result. It turns out 4 kg per month, that is, roughly speaking, 1 kg per week. Choose a day, for example Monday, and enter it into the calendar in descending order of 100, 99, 98, and so on. It helps a lot.

7. What advice can you give to those who are now at the beginning of the journey?

My advice is this. Don't expect it to be easy to lose weight. Will not. Will really want to eat. We must endure. It is humanly possible. Then you will be proud of yourself.

Feelings of hunger can be relieved. For example, green tea helped me, I drank it in a cistern during these four months. You may find something else. Be consistent and you will definitely succeed. And in an amicable way, you need to change your lifestyle, otherwise the result will not be delayed. But it's worth it.

It is much more pleasant to jump off the bed briskly in the morning than to crawl sluggishly, holding on to a sore head. Eight months ago, I barely ran 200 meters and was out of breath, and the other day I overcame the first half marathon. I couldn’t have imagined this before.

You can ask for advice, share your achievements or ask Alexey a question in the comments below. We invite everyone to participate in the discussion!