My 2019 Diet

My 2019 diet was the first diet I had ever followed in my life. I began on May 7, 2019, at a measured weight of 83.3 kg (183.6 lb), with the goal of substantially reducing my weight before returning more seriously to running.

In the weeks immediately before the diet, I had attempted several 10K runs and found that my running performance was far from where I wanted it to be. My weight had previously been below 70 kg (154 lb) during a more active period of running, and I decided that reducing my weight would be an important first step before beginning another structured running training program.

Throughout the diet, I recorded my weight and daily steps, creating the first detailed record of one of my weight-loss periods. The sections below present the results of the diet, the running motivation behind it, my daily activity, weight progression, and complete recorded data.

Diet Summary

Over the 116 days of my 2019 diet, my measured weight decreased by 12.8 kg (28.2 lb), from 83.3 kg (183.6 lb) to 70.5 kg (155.4 lb). This corresponds to an average weight loss of approximately 110 g (0.24 lb) per day, or 0.772 kg (1.70 lb) per week.

BeginningEnd
DateMay 7, 2019August 30, 2019
Weight (kg)83.3 kg70.5 kg
Weight (lb)183.6 lb155.4 lb
BMI27.2023.02

Overall Result

Duration116 days
Total Weight Loss12.8 kg (28.2 lb)
Average Daily Weight Loss110 g/day (0.24 lb/day)
Average Weekly Weight Loss0.772 kg/week (1.70 lb/week)

Returning to Running

One of my main motivations for starting my 2019 diet was my desire to return to running. During a more active period of running in the past, my weight had been below 70 kg (154 lb), but by May 2019 it had increased to 83.3 kg (183.6 lb).

Immediately before beginning the diet, I completed three 10K runs:

Date10K Time
April 29, 20191:10:08
April 30, 20191:08:48
May 7, 20191:07:05

Although my times improved across the three runs, they were still far from the level at which I wanted to begin structured 10K training. Rather than immediately starting a training plan, I decided to make weight loss my first priority and return to more structured running afterward.

The diet therefore began on May 7, the same day as the third 10K run. For me, the 2019 diet was not only about reducing the number on the scale; it was also a step toward making running a more serious part of my life again.

Daily Activity

Walking was my main source of daily activity during my 2019 diet, and I recorded my total number of steps each day. Across the 116-day period, I averaged approximately 18,697 steps per day.

My monthly averages were: Month 1 — 17,960 steps/day; Month 2 — 17,496 steps/day; Month 3 — 19,989 steps/day; and Month 4 — 19,442 steps/day.

The graph below shows my daily steps together with the average for each period. My activity was somewhat lower during the first two months before increasing during Months 3 and 4, with the highest monthly average occurring during Month 3.

Weight Progression

My measured weight decreased substantially over the course of the 2019 diet, although the daily measurements naturally fluctuated along the way. The following graphs show the complete weight progression over the 116-day period in kilograms, pounds, and BMI.

Weight in Kilograms

The graph below shows my recorded weight in kilograms throughout the diet, from 83.3 kg at the beginning to 70.5 kg at the end.

Weight in Pounds

The same weight progression is shown below in pounds, from 183.6 lb at the beginning to 155.4 lb at the end.

BMI

My BMI decreased from 27.20 at the beginning of the diet to 23.02 by the end. The graph below shows how my BMI changed throughout the 116-day period.

Results

Over the 116 days of my 2019 diet, my measured weight decreased from 83.3 kg (183.6 lb) to 70.5 kg (155.4 lb), a total loss of 12.8 kg (28.2 lb). My BMI decreased from 27.20 to 23.02, while my average rate of weight loss across the entire period was approximately 0.772 kg (1.70 lb) per week.

Walking remained my main source of daily activity throughout the diet. I averaged approximately 18,697 steps per day, with my activity increasing during the later months of the diet.

The diet also accomplished the goal that had initially motivated me to begin: substantially reducing my weight before returning more seriously to running. Starting from 83.3 kg, I finished only slightly above the sub-70 kg weight range I had previously experienced during a more active period of running.

Although the weight-loss phase itself was successful, there was one important part of weight management that I had not yet addressed: maintaining the lower weight after the diet ended. At the time, I largely viewed dieting as something that could be completed once the desired weight had been reached, rather than as something that needed to be followed by a deliberate maintenance strategy. What happened over the following months would significantly change that understanding.

Complete Daily Data

The table below contains the complete daily dataset from my 2019 diet. It includes my recorded weight in kilograms and pounds, BMI, and daily steps throughout the 116-day period.

The graphs and results presented above were generated from this dataset. Expand the table below to view the complete daily record.

View Complete Daily Data

DayDateWeight (kg)Weight (lb)BMIDaily Steps
Friday08/30/201970.5155.423.022,327
Thursday08/29/201970.8156.123.121,434
Wednesday08/28/201971.1156.723.220,242
Tuesday08/27/201971.2157.023.223,099
Monday08/26/201972158.723.511,880
Sunday08/25/201972158.723.523,937
Saturday08/24/201972.2159.223.622,406
Friday08/23/201972.5159.823.724,501
Thursday08/22/201972.4159.623.621,837
Wednesday08/21/201972.7160.323.725,829
Tuesday08/20/201972.5159.823.726,488
Monday08/19/201972.2159.223.613,663
Sunday08/18/201972.7160.323.741,866
Saturday08/17/201972.41159.623.69,010
Friday08/16/201972.41159.623.615,207
Thursday08/15/201972.4159.623.69,455
Wednesday08/14/201972.8160.523.828,141
Tuesday08/13/201973160.923.823,817
Monday08/12/201973.31161.623.913,451
Sunday08/11/201973.31161.623.99,178
Saturday08/10/201973.31161.623.917,626
Friday08/09/201973.3161.623.913,223
Thursday08/08/201972.8160.523.813,233
Wednesday08/07/201973160.923.812,727
Tuesday08/06/201973.4161.824.016,970
Monday08/05/201973.9162.924.123,939
Sunday08/04/201973.5162.024.016,112
Saturday08/03/201972.9160.723.812,180
Friday08/02/201972.9160.723.814,738
Thursday08/01/201973.2161.423.914,942
Wednesday07/31/201973.1161.223.921,197
Tuesday07/30/201973.4161.824.021,334
Monday07/29/201973.4161.824.022,323
Sunday07/28/201975165.324.530,498
Saturday07/27/201974.4164.024.326,595
Friday07/26/201974163.124.222,758
Thursday07/25/201973.7162.524.120,857
Wednesday07/24/201973.9162.924.128,412
Tuesday07/23/201974.2163.624.212,955
Monday07/22/201974.4164.024.39,312
Sunday07/21/201973.7162.524.126,206
Saturday07/20/201974.5164.224.324,743
Friday07/19/201974.9165.124.59,589
Thursday07/18/201975165.324.526,276
Wednesday07/17/201975.1165.624.511,132
Tuesday07/16/201974.2163.624.217,555
Monday07/15/201974.5164.224.316,604
Sunday07/14/201974.5164.224.327,275
Saturday07/13/201974.9165.124.522,055
Friday07/12/201974.5164.224.322,344
Thursday07/11/201974.9165.124.517,913
Wednesday07/10/201975.4166.224.620,670
Tuesday07/09/201975.3166.024.622,939
Monday07/08/201975.8167.124.89,810
Sunday07/07/201975.9167.324.829,005
Saturday07/06/201976.2168.024.921,337
Friday07/05/201976.6168.925.022,711
Thursday07/04/201976.6168.925.023,127
Wednesday07/03/201977.3170.425.228,130
Tuesday07/02/201977169.825.121,639
Monday07/01/201976.6168.925.019,828
Sunday06/30/201976.7169.125.031,091
Saturday06/29/201976.9169.525.122,049
Friday06/28/201977.4170.625.334,943
Thursday06/27/201977.71171.325.418,290
Wednesday06/26/201977.7171.325.414,688
Tuesday06/25/201977.61171.125.317,959
Monday06/24/201977.61171.125.321,010
Sunday06/23/201977.61171.125.312,033
Saturday06/22/201977.61171.125.34,473
Friday06/21/201977.61171.125.311,613
Thursday06/20/201977.61171.125.310,438
Wednesday06/19/201977.6171.125.317,873
Tuesday06/18/201977.6171.125.38,182
Monday06/17/201977.3170.425.219,007
Sunday06/16/201977.8171.525.424,428
Saturday06/15/201979174.225.8385
Friday06/14/201978.3172.625.62,747
Thursday06/13/201976.9169.525.133,188
Wednesday06/12/201976.9169.525.113,264
Tuesday06/11/201977.1170.025.212,925
Monday06/10/201977.2170.225.211,738
Sunday06/09/201977.4170.625.39,168
Saturday06/08/201977.7171.325.429,542
Friday06/07/201977.5170.925.318,556
Thursday06/06/201979.1174.425.89,855
Wednesday06/05/201978.3172.625.69,337
Tuesday06/04/201978.3172.625.616,630
Monday06/03/201978.4172.825.610,391
Sunday06/02/201978.2172.425.527,040
Saturday06/01/201978.6173.325.723,055
Friday05/31/201978.7173.525.711,018
Thursday05/30/201979174.225.830,105
Wednesday05/29/201979.1174.425.822,618
Tuesday05/28/201979.4175.025.97,035
Monday05/27/201979.7175.726.027,724
Sunday05/26/201979.7175.726.024,890
Saturday05/25/201980.7177.926.412,209
Friday05/24/201980.4177.326.320,956
Thursday05/23/201980.7177.926.49,658
Wednesday05/22/201980.5177.526.324,600
Tuesday05/21/201980.6177.726.324,674
Monday05/20/201981.5179.726.613,161
Sunday05/19/201982180.826.823,608
Saturday05/18/201982.2181.226.817,717
Friday05/17/201981.8180.326.713,321
Thursday05/16/201981.6179.926.621,607
Wednesday05/15/201982.4181.726.923,247
Tuesday05/14/201982.9182.827.117,863
Monday05/13/201983.8184.727.47
Sunday05/12/201982.2181.226.810,617
Saturday05/11/201982.5181.926.931,023
Friday05/10/201982.8182.527.013,402
Thursday05/09/201982.8182.527.04,329
Wednesday05/08/201983183.027.111,294
Tuesday05/07/201983.3183.627.235,672