💪 From Dev to Defined

In early 2025, I weighed 89 kg and felt sluggish. Tired of the extra weight and low energy, I decided to transform. No supplements, no fads — just calorie deficit, consistent training, and smart lifestyle changes. Here’s exactly how I lost 17 kg in 4 months and what you can learn from it.

🔥 Daily Strategy

  • Calorie Deficit: Ate 1800–2000 kcal/day using MyFitnessPal
  • Steps: Walked 8,000–10,000 steps daily to boost NEAT
  • Strength Training: Trained 3–4x/week using MuscleWiki to plan routines
  • Sunlight: 15 mins of daily sun improved mood and sleep
  • Hydration: ~4 liters of water a day — no sugary drinks!

This routine gave me structure. I tracked everything and stayed consistent even when motivation dipped. Data made all the difference.

🥗 Typical Meals

  • Breakfast: Tea with stevia + low-fat milk, Greek yogurt
  • Lunch: Grilled chicken breast, white rice, cucumber, steamed veggies
  • Snack: Boiled eggs, peanut butter toast, or popcorn
  • Dinner: Stir-fried chicken or paneer with rice/roti
  • Cheat Meals: Once a week — Indian sweets or dark chocolate 🍫

Tracking my meals made the biggest difference. I used MyFitnessPal to log every bite and understand macros. For workouts, MuscleWiki became my exercise encyclopedia.

Weight loss transformation
My transformation: 89 kg → 72 kg (Jan–May 2025)

🔁 Lessons That Worked for Me

  • Consistency > Perfection: You don’t need to be perfect — just consistent.
  • Track Everything: Food, workouts, mood, hydration — the data shows patterns.
  • Sleep, Water, Sunlight: These 3 factors silently drive your energy and discipline.
  • Plan Cheat Meals: Make room for indulgence without guilt.

This journey wasn’t about willpower. It was about making it easy to stay on track through habits and systems.

⚠️ Challenges I Faced

  • Hunger: I felt starved some days. Fix: High-protein foods and fiber helped a lot.
  • Low Energy: Early workouts felt weak. Fix: Ate carbs before workouts + slept better.
  • Temptations: Late-night cravings hit hard. Fix: Brushed teeth early to signal "kitchen closed."
  • Stalls: Weight didn’t always drop. Fix: Focused on weekly averages, not daily.

I embraced flexibility. Some days weren’t perfect — but I always came back stronger the next.

🧠 What I Learned

  • Start Slow: Don’t go all-in on day one. I made small, lasting changes weekly.
  • Build Identity: I stopped saying “I’m trying to lose weight” and started saying “I eat like an athlete.”
  • Systems Beat Motivation: Automate healthy choices. Track. Plan meals. Schedule workouts.
  • Cheat Meals Are Part of the Plan: I enjoyed food guilt-free and still lost fat.

This wasn’t just a transformation of body — it was a shift in mindset. I learned to trust the process, not rush it.

🎯 Wrap-Up

From 89 kg to 72 kg — I didn’t follow a trendy diet or buy fancy supplements. I followed science, stayed consistent, and took ownership of my body. If I can do it while working full-time as a developer, so can you.

Track your food. Train smart. Stay consistent. Your transformation is closer than you think. 💪