I put on a lot of weight during Covid. Lockdowns were especially harsh in Singapore; the days were long and boring at home and we found that having good food and wine helped make things bearable. And working from home meant wearing a lot of t-shirts and shorts.
When we started to go back to the office early in 2022, I realized that I couldn’t fit into my work clothes. Probably more important, I was probably in the poorest physical state I had been in my life. I was on medication for hypertension. I wasn’t happy with what I saw in the mirror and knew that I could do better.
It was either buy a new wardrobe or make some serious changes. Ready to get myself back on track, I signed up with Ultimate Performance Singapore.
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Before I got started, I didn’t have much of a diet routine. I’d skip breakfast, then eat whatever I wanted for lunch or dinner. As I mentioned, during lockdown I’d often share a bottle of wine for dinner. So I had room for improvement.
Protein, protein, protein
My new diet kept me at a caloric deficit while still giving me enough protein to support muscle growth. Since so many of my daily calories came from protein in my new way of eating, I ate fairly large volumes of food, which kept me full all day. I never actually felt deprived or starved even when I was in the low-calorie phase. (Find out more about protein here.)
My meals were a lot more disciplined than they used to be. I hit specific portions of protein, carbohydrates, and fat. For the first month or so, I had a set of three pre-planned meals per day, which I supplemented with a protein shake. Later on, I started experimenting with some recipes from the UP Cookbook. My trainer was great about mixing up my meals so I didn’t get bored of any one thing. I generally stuck with three meals a day, no snacks. I very conscientiously drank at least four liters (1 gallon) of fluid a day. And I had vitamins and other supplements.
Weights and walking
I had in the past dabbled with weight training, but nothing very serious. My form was probably all wrong. I met with my trainer for an hour on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. Each session, we’d hit all of the major muscle groups; we’d usually start with dumbbell or barbell presses, then go on to legs, back, shoulders, and arms. I also took brisk walks every day; we started with a goal of 10,000 steps a day, which I gradually pushed up to 16,000 or more.
I’ve realized that walking as a weight-loss tool is severely underrated. I firmly believe that all the steps I put in were key to my transformation. The best part about walking is that it’s already a part of our normal lives—all you need to do is just walk farther and longer. I listened to podcasts while I walked, which made it feel like productive time. I wore out a brand new pair of sneakers in about 4 months!
In eight months I lost 55 pounds (25 kg), and my body fat percentage dropped from 35 percent to 11 percent. I’m not sure how much muscle I gained, but I am definitely much stronger than when I started!
It’s given me a real boost of confidence. I didn’t think I really had any mental blocks, but after this transformation, I have so much more belief in my physical abilities. I’ve internalized a lot of my trainer’s knowledge about form and paying attention to my body, which also makes me feel more in control. It really helped to have an expert in my corner.
My blood pressure has also improved significantly, and my doctor has agreed to start weaning me off of my blood pressure medication. Fingers crossed that soon I’ll be able to come off it completely. I also noticed that skiing doesn’t leave me with the same muscle aches that I used to get—my core and quads are a lot stronger.
This is still a work in progress. I have set a new goal of bulking up and packing on muscle. That means a completely different diet regimen, and it’s been interesting seeing how my body responds to this new phase.
Diet was such an important key for me, as it really is for anyone. I had to have a sustainable, healthy diet that didn’t leave me feeling starved. And I wanted food that tastes good! Having someone who knew how to make all of that work with my workout plan and fitness goals was invaluable. Left on my own, I’d just have been shooting in the dark. Instead, I’m transformed—and I’m just getting started.
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