CAUSEWAY BAY, HONGKONG — It was September 2023. I was on a Cebu-bound Ceres bus for an extensive physical examination required by the government for Filipinos working overseas. I was only a few weeks away from moving here to Hong Kong to work as a journalist for the South China Morning Post, one of Asia’s leading English-language newspapers.
The bus was somewhere in Minglanilla town when my lower abdomen suddenly hurt, like an imaginary drill came out of nowhere, and started inflicting an indescribable pain that refused to stop.
I headed to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center to have myself checked, and doctors were quick to figure out what caused the excruciating pain — a kidney stone the size of a tiny pebble had found itself stuck on my left ureter.
While the stone was small enough to be dissolved away by months of medicine, the physical examination I went through found several red flags: I was morbidly obese at 308 pounds (140 kilograms), my resting blood pressure was relatively high, and my blood sugar levels were dangerously close to me becoming a diabetic.
That felt like a lifetime ago, but those close calls continue to remind me why I decided to change my lifestyle. After over a year and a half, I managed to lose 112 lbs. (51 kilos), and am now at a fitter 89 kilos.
Anyone from Dumaguete who knows me well enough knows that I used to be the last person to talk about diets and workouts. I was once that dude who took “eat well” too seriously, and obviously, it took a toll on my body and self-confidence.
As a rock music fan, I can still remember the sheer frustration of being unable to wear my favorite bands’ official shirts because they did not have my size. Climbing stairs and walking short distances used to be a chore, and I could not comfortably pose for pictures on Instagram.
But thanks to a decision I made over a year ago, I now enjoy the comfort of wearing off-the-rack clothes, as well as the confidence boost that comes with a healthier figure.
“How did you do it?” is the question I have been getting from friends these days. Weight loss journeys differ from person to person, but here was how I did it:
Calorie counting, Intermittent fasting
On the day I decided to change my lifestyle, a friend introduced me to a TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) calculator, which I realized was key to losing weight.
Regardless of dietary approach, the key to weight loss is to maintain a calorie deficit — burning more calories than one takes in.
TDEE calculators are a dime a dozen on the internet, easily accessible by a simple Google search. Depending on how much weight you wish to lose (or maintain) in a week, you can track your calorie intake through fitness apps; in my case I use MyFitnessPal.
Also helping to reduce my calorie intake is Intermittent Fasting, of which I was initially a skeptic. I started practicing it the middle of November 2023 using the 15:9 method; which meant eating only between 12 noon to 9 pm, and having nothing for the next 15 hours, except water, tea, or black coffee until noon the next day.
It was tough at first, but my body later got used to it, and eventually, I adjusted to 16:8 (fasting 16 hours and eating only within an eight-hour window).
Now I do 18:6 (no solid food for 18 hours, and eating only within a six-hour period).
Occasionally, I do OMAD, eating ‘one meal a day’, especially at times when my weight plateaus, or does not decrease.
Eating whole foods also helped in my case, which means avoiding fast food, canned goods, and ultra-processed foods as much as possible.
Sure, I still have the occasional Jollibee Chickenjoy or McDonald’s burger, but I try to only have those at least once a month, or when a celebration calls for it.
Working out
A balanced diet has played a critical role in my weight loss journey, but so has exercise. Not only has it helped me burn fat, and lose weight, exercise has also helped me look younger; at 31, I now enjoy the occasional age discount of being mistaken as a 25-year-old.
I run-walk for 10 kilometers within the Hong Kong city centre here, around three to four times weekly; the beautiful view of the Victoria Harbour often helps keep me going.
But believe it or not, I started working out at the Metro Dumaguete Diversion Road and along the Rizal Boulevard where I would make it a point to walk at least 5,000 steps a day. When my body got used to it, I took it a notch higher, and walked 10,000 steps a day.
Has anybody told you how simply walking can do wonders to your health? It certainly did on mine, and the best part — it’s free!
Starting slow, being consistent
Let me make this clear: weight loss does not happen overnight or within a few days, as some “miracle weight loss medicines” would claim.
I got to 308 pounds (140 kilos) by overeating, being lethargic, and putting myself under a huge amount of stress throughout my 20s.
Undoing those years of bad lifestyle choices was certainly a tough process — and I had to trust it.
There are days when I would not have the motivation to go out for a run or to fast. But a simple look at my old pictures from 2018 to 2023 does the trick. Those pictures would remind me of the ordeal I had to go through in Cebu over a year ago; oddly enough, fear is sometimes the best motivator.
I probably know what you may be thinking as you read this: all of these steps I listed here seem to be too daunting. I certainly did back in 2023.
But have some faith in yourself, and in the journey, and with a little consistency and perseverance, you’ll be surprised at the results.
Get off that chair, get yourself a weighing scale, and start walking. If you are looking for a sign to start your weight loss journey now, consider this the universe telling you, this is it!
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Raffy Cabristante graduated magna cum laude in Mass Communication from Silliman University in 2014. He worked as news writer at GMA Network and at ABS-CBN before earning in 2021 a Masters degree in Journalism from Ateneo de Manila University as a fellow of Konrad Adenauer Stiftung’s Media Programme in Asia. He is now writes for the South China Morning Post based in HongKong.
Author’s email: raffycabristante@gmail.com
