Historias

I grew up being called “the fat kid.” After graduating from college, my weight soared to 110 kilograms. A busy job, irregular eating habits, and late-night social engagements pushed me to a staggering 135 kilograms by my 30s. In China, that puts me in a tiny fraction of severely overweight individuals. As my weight climbed, health issues came one after another. Even tying my shoelaces left me gasping for breath, and I dreaded medical checkups because I knew the results would be disastrous. I used to joke, “If I make it to 30, that’s good enough.” Then 30 arrived, right on schedule. My health was deteriorating, and I worried about when death might knock on my door. I thought I should at least have a child before dying, so my parents could have some hope. But for two years, despite our efforts, my physical condition was so poor that even conceiving a child became an issue. At that moment, I finally resolved—I had to change!

After countless failures, I decided not to merely “try” losing weight. Before turning 30, I had tried all kinds of methods: Fasting/Dieting: I couldn’t stick to it; the hunger was unbearable. Exercise: I’d lose weight but gain it all back, leaving me more hopeless each time. Meal replacements, medication, or “miracle” solutions: Either they didn’t work or had serious side effects. This time, I decided not to haphazardly experiment with random weight-loss methods. I wanted to truly understand what weight loss entailed. I enrolled in a National Health Manager program, systematically studying physiology, nutrition, exercise science, and psychology. Finally, instead of “blind training,” I started over with a science-based approach. By managing my diet and exercise, I successfully lost 45 kilograms in a single year! Even more exciting, I didn’t just slim down—I finished my first-ever full marathon! And best of all, I finally welcomed my first child. At that moment, I thought I had completely conquered obesity.

Overconfidence led to a harsh lesson. Feeling triumphant, I signed up for a 50 km trail race—but I ended up injuring my knee. This injury forced me to cut back on exercise, and my weight quickly rebounded to 100 kilograms. That injury was a painful wake-up call: True exercise science isn’t just “work out more.” The wrong approach can backfire and make things worse. So I dived deeper into specialized exercise knowledge and obtained the ACE-CPT certification in the United States, learning more about exercise rehabilitation. With adjusted training methods, I brought my weight back down to 90 kilograms.

Life’s curveballs took me back to 110 kilograms. Just when I thought things were on track, another challenge arose. I switched to a high-intensity job in the tech industry, flying 150 times a year. I was so busy that I barely had time to train, and I depended on social events for meals. Even though I maintained regular workouts and used various devices to track my calorie intake, my weight still soared! This time, I finally understood that the real problem wasn’t just about exercise—it was about managing appetite and metabolism! I continued my studies, earning a Certified Nutritionist qualification in China to gain deeper insights into physiology and nutrition. With a strategic adjustment, I not only brought my weight down to 85 kilograms, but also saw major improvements in my health metrics, fitness level, and muscle strength. Most importantly—this time, I’ve stayed at my healthy weight for years!

My three key weight-loss secrets:

• After many failures and lessons, I finally summarized the core truths of effective weight loss: Precise calorie calculations don’t exist outside a lab. In daily life, it’s impossible to measure exactly how many calories you consume and burn. The only workable method is to observe your weight trends, infer your energy balance, and tweak your diet and exercise accordingly. Don’t just make a plan—keep adjusting it. Many people devise a “perfect” weight-loss plan at the start. But the body adapts, and that plan soon stops working.
• You need regular assessments and adjustments to achieve long-term results.
• Improve cardiovascular capacity and do strength training so the body resists less. Cardio training boosts your overall energy expenditure, while resistance training helps the body recover and adapt. Combined, they help you avoid adaptive rebounds under a calorie deficit.

I’m still learning and ready to be your “umbrella”. Recently, I took the SCOPE course from the World Obesity Federation. It’s highly specialized, covering topics like obesity stigma and weight-loss strategies for special populations. From 135 kilograms to a healthy weight, I’ve been through failure, regaining weight, overconfidence, injury, and confusion… but I never gave up! Because I know the misery of trying to lose weight—and the happiness of finally succeeding. That’s why I’m willing to share my journey with you. I hope you can also find a path that truly suits you and enjoy a life that feels light and free!