I used to be fat - update & clarifications
Just a small update to my previous article to clarify some things based on some of the comments/chats i've had following publication
1. Exercise is good
Just to clarify this point, i am NOT saying that exercise is not a good idea. From a wider health perspective, there are a ton of benefits from regular exercise. However from a strictly weight loss point of view, you cannot rely on exercise alone. It's great to supplement a decent eating habit and will help, but you cannot ignore nutrition. So get your eating habits in order: learn how much you should be eating (depending on your weight/sex/age there are ranges of calories you should be eating every day), learn how to balance high calorie foods with low calorie bulky ones and then add exercise.
2. I am trying to lose weight and it's hard... not easy
Losing weight is not hard. Medical conditions aside, if you eat less calories than you burn then you should lose weight. It's putting yourself in a position where this is easy takes a bit of thought and planning.
Saying no to food (especially GOOD food, or food we are hardwired to crave like sugar/fat) is very hard. So the "big trick" is putting yourself in a position where you don't have to resist.
For example - meet friends for a walk or a movie instead of for dinner, skip a party or an event if you have too many that week, etc. It's realistically only in the first few weeks that you need to be a bit extra careful and say no to get into the weight loss rhythm... after that default to "not today" :)
Another example - try avoid coming home starving from work and still having to cook. Mitigate by having a snack late in the day or preparing dinner beforehand. This will avoid (in my case) nibbling 1000cal worth of stuff whilst i cook dinner.
3. This is a photo blog... wtf!
A Canon 5D mark 4 weighs 891g. Add a battery grip weighing around 390g and a lens (i use the 85mm f1.2L a lot) at 1025g - you suddenly are carrying over 2kgs. When you are doing a photoshoot or shooting an event which usually involves much running around and is spread over a few hours - those 2kgs feel like 20. Physical fitness is very important in photography, if you're tired you will be less creative, you will be more likely to be in the wrong place or miss a shot... etc etc etc... HOWEVER to be precise, being physically fit is key here so we're not only talking about weight loss - lose weight, exercise, build muscle = photo happiness.
4. What protein powders do you use?
Protein powder is not a unicorn, and many studies on the internet suggest that it may not be the best thing for the body but nevertheless i found it to be a good breakfast: it's easy to prepare - just add water, tasty, and keeps me full until lunch. My first powder was Phd Pharma Whey (i bought the vanilla creme flavour) which is based primarily on Whey protein (contains lactose!). I then started experimenting with protein blends which mix Whey (which is fast to digest), with Micellar Casein (which is slowly absorbed). From these my favourites were the MusclePharm Combat (Hybrid series) and BSN Syntha-6 Edge, both in cookies'n'cream flavour (basically vanilla with crunch bits :D)
Another protein 'hack' i use sometimes involves protein pudding (basically a powder which you mix with water and it thickens into a mousse) and in it i cut up one or two apples. This is usually a good breakfast for days when i'm going to be eating a little later in the day.
5. Did i miss anything?
Just send me a message in private or leave a comment below and i'll try my best to answer. Just remember that i'm not a health professional so whilst these methods worked for me, they may not necessarily be good for everyone (or myself for all i know!)