The Long Way Back — Week 3 Recap

Starting weight: 270 lbs on January 7, 2026. As of January 27, 2026: 254.7 lbs. The first three weeks have come with plenty of water loss—and that’s perfectly fine. It’s expected when you drastically lower carbohydrate and sodium intake. Most of this loss is water, along with some lean mass and fat. This is probably the point where that rapid drop starts to slow down. Eating similar foods consistently will normalize water retention, and the scale should begin reflecting real fat loss more clearly. This week, I finally started tracking calories. I used a TDEE calculator to estimate maintenance at about 2426 calories. A moderate deficit for someone my size puts me around 1900 calories, with the low end near 1700. That’s what ChatGPT gave me as a range. I’ve also started tracking protein, aiming for 140–160 grams per day. Honestly, I haven’t even been hitting 1700 calories most days. The way my meals are structured, the protein fills me up fast and keeps me full for a long time. The upside? I’m still hitting my protein and creating a larger deficit. Even short-term, that will pay dividends. On the activity side, I’ve been more disciplined with steps—11k to 13k per day, mostly on the treadmill at a slight incline. That should be close to 500 calories burned from walking alone. Not an exact science… but again, every step pays dividends. Here’s the part I have to be honest about: This phase is familiar. I know how to lose weight. I’ve done it many times as an adult. The problem has always been gaining it back. I’ve been everywhere from 155 lbs to 270 lbs as an adult—more than once. And at this age, it’s getting harder. So I’m drawing up a plan to fight the rebound. Part one: weight training. I’m running a push–pull–legs split using a Bowflex system I bought on Facebook Marketplace for $150. I also picked up a trap bar and plates so I can build real strength with deadlifts. Part two: slowing it down. Not cutting too aggressively from maintenance. Building something sustainable. Turning this into a lifestyle instead of another crash cycle. Simple enough… right?