All In: How Burning My Ships Led to Losing 10kg
October 2023 - The day I decided enough was enough.
The Wake-Up Call
After 5-6 years of grinding as a software developer in the startup world, I had let my health slide to the bottom of my priority list. Code was my life, and my body was paying the price. At 78kg, I was the heaviest I’d ever been, and I knew something had to change.
The mirror didn’t lie. The photos didn’t lie. And most importantly, how I felt every day didn’t lie. I was tired, unhealthy, and far from the person I used to be.
It was time to debug my lifestyle.
Starting Small: The 1km Journey
I didn’t jump straight into an intense workout regime. Instead, I started with what I could manage:
- A diet I believed was healthy
- A simple morning walk
Every morning, I’d walk from my house in HSR Layout to a local South Indian restaurant called Muthahalli - exactly 1km away. It doesn’t sound like much, but for someone who had been sedentary for years, it was my first victory.
After two weeks of consistent morning walks, something clicked. I was ready for more.
Enter LIFTR: The Game Changer
In the last week of October, I joined LIFTR, a strength and conditioning gym that would become my second home. They were running a 6-week challenge, and I was all in from day one.
My Daily Battle Plan
My routine became almost military in its precision:
- 5:30 AM - Wake up (no snooze button allowed)
- 6:00-7:00 AM - Gym session at LIFTR
- 7:30-9:00 AM - Morning walk
- 9:00-11:00 AM - Get ready for work + breakfast
- 11:00 AM-6:00 PM - Office hours
- 7:00 PM - Dinner (no exceptions)
- 7:30-10:00 PM - Evening walk
Some days, work demanded more time. But I never compromised on my step count - even if it meant walking until midnight.
The Numbers Game
My trainer asked for 10,000 steps daily. But “good enough” wasn’t in my vocabulary anymore:
- Week 1: 12,000 steps
- Week 2: 15,000 steps
- Eventually: 25,000 steps daily
During a weekend step challenge at the gym, I crushed it with over 60,000 steps and took home the prize. My competitive developer mindset had found a new playground.
The Diet Discipline
Every single meal was photographed and sent to my trainer. No cheating, no excuses. Being a non-vegetarian made my protein goals easier to hit, but the discipline of tracking everything was the real game-changer.
The Pain Point
Three weeks in, my left shin started protesting. A doctor’s visit confirmed it was just overuse from all the walking. His advice? Take it easy.
My response? I walked home from the clinic.
The Results
6 weeks later:
- Weight lost: 5.2 kg ✓ (Goal achieved!)
- Inches lost: 6 inches
- Body fat: 27.4% → 22.8%
- BMI: 27.4% → 25.8%
- Body water: 53.2% → 56.6%
But I didn’t stop there. I continued the journey and eventually dropped from 78kg to 68kg - a total transformation of 10kg.
The Lessons Learned
After this transformation, here are my key takeaways:
1. All-In Mentality
I burned my ships. Fitness became non-negotiable. I was prepared to quit my job if it interfered with my health goals. That’s how serious I was.
2. Diet is 80% of the Battle
You can’t out-train a bad diet. It doesn’t matter how much you lift or how far you walk - if your nutrition isn’t on point, you’re fighting a losing battle.
3. Walking > Running
Sustainable cardio beats intense bursts. Walking is easier on your joints, more sustainable long-term, and surprisingly effective for fat loss.
4. Community Matters
LIFTR wasn’t just a gym - it was a community. Being surrounded by people who pushed each other made all the difference. Find your tribe.
5. Consistency is Everything
Doing the same things day after day might seem boring, but that’s where the magic happens. Trust the process.
6. Track Everything
Weighing myself daily and watching that graph trend downward was incredibly motivating. What gets measured gets managed.
The New Me
The feeling of getting fit is indescribable. It’s not just about the physical transformation - it’s about proving to yourself that you can commit to something difficult and see it through.
Today, I’m not just a healthier version of myself physically. I’m more disciplined, more confident, and more aware of what I’m capable of achieving when I go all-in.
To anyone reading this who’s where I was in October 2023: You can do this. Start with that 1km walk. Join that gym. Take that first photo.
Your future self will thank you.
Have questions about my transformation? Want to know more about my routine or diet? Let me know your thoughts on Twitter or LinkedIn. Remember, the best time to start was yesterday. The second best time is now.