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A few years ago, Aldy Montufar decided that he was tired of the yo-yo relationship that he had with his weight and health. He had started to lose a few pounds here and there, but he always had it back. Montufar, 37, a musician and teacher who runs a performing arts studio with his wife in Gilbert, Arizona, says his diet was the most important factor. "I did not keep healthy habits consistently." Montufar believes that it weighs something like 230 pounds and that he does not like what he feels. "The simple tasks seemed harder than they should be, the clothes were not comfortable and I did not feel attractive."
One day, Montufar saw an advertisement for a weight loss challenge at a local gym located less than 1.5 km from his home. It was the middle of the summer, he had a lot of time (the school was not in session) and the courses would be free if he won the challenge. Montufar felt inspired to sign up, and this time he was determined not to lose his momentum. "I kept going, I did not want to lose all the hard work I had done," he says. "I learned to eat healthy, stay active and see how it could really be a lifestyle change for longevity." Here's how Montufar is getting in shape.
You have long talked about a yo-yo relationship with weight loss. What did you finally get out of this scheme?
Essentially, the workouts consisted of bodybuilding and initial training. I did it for about 3 months with a very strict diet. Basically, count the calories and check that my macros (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids) were up to par. Eat with a calorie deficit of about 800 calories a day and train 6 times a week. The preparation of meals is the key to my success. I ate a combination of lean protein (chicken breast, fish, lean turkey), clean carbohydrates (brown rice, quinoa, sweet potato), vegetables (broccoli, green beans, asparagus, spinach) and a few fat. After three months, I fell to about 185 pounds.
For the next five months, I kept the same HIIT training, but also started light workouts. My diet was very similar, but I had more healthy fats like nuts, avocado and nut butter. Overall, my eating habits were always good, but I allowed some cheat meals here and there. I've also added lean ground beef, steaks and more fruit, eating with a deficit or about 500 calories and doing exercise five or six times a week. At that time, I was about 152 pounds and had reached my goal weight. I spent about two months maintaining and learning to maintain my physique. I ate more, learned my TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) and tried to match my caloric intake to my burn rate.
Finally, over the last two or three months, I have focused more on weight training by pushing, pulling, slit legs: three days of work and one day of rest, while trying to gain strength and resume muscles. I also tried to eat with a surplus, which turned out to be harder than one could imagine.
In terms of training sessions, what were the keys to help you stay consistent?
I did small group training and HIIT classes. I have always felt more comfortable in a group where an instructor tells me what to do. I'm going to work hard, but I do not want to think about designing a workout. At first, it is the results themselves that motivated me. Seeing and feeling the changes was great. Secondly, I became even more motivated when other people started to notice and give me their support and their good words. Then people started asking how and what I was doing. Helping others has really been a big motivation for me. The use of social media as a way to stay accountable has also been helpful.
Once you've committed to regular exercise and eating healthier, how fast has weight dropped?
I think in two parts: the first three months, I lost about 45 pounds. Then I lost 33 more pounds in about 5 months. I lost a total of about 78 pounds in 8 months. I am in the best shape of my life and I feel good. I feel like a different person with regards to my health, my physique, my appearance and my way of life.
Aldy Montufar
It was a pretty fast race, so it was shocking for a lot of people, but I also talked a lot about it on social media as part of the "challenge" of the first few months. I had to get used to the reactions of people I had not seen in person for a while. I feel more confident and comfortable in my skin. I have been told that I smile more and that I look happier. I happily married all this time and my wife was a great supporter.
Now that you have achieved the goal you have set for yourself, do you have a new goal in mind? Or are you just trying to maintain?
My ultimate goal is to continue to live healthy, active lives, but I need to think about it actively. I am not "finished" Staying long-term and staying motivated is the hardest part. In the short term, I would like to see how much I can be "fit": to achieve my aesthetic goal of being slim and toned as long as I can.
Having seen your transformation, you says people now come to you for advice. What do you say to them?
One thing I thought about a lot when I started was: Think about why. There must be a reason why everyone starts this. And again, for me, preparing meals is the key – you can not get out of a bad diet. True success, however, happened when I changed my "diet" mentality. It's no longer a diet, it's just the way I eat right now. You must enjoy the food you eat, but it can be healthy at the C & # 39; s key to longevity. When it comes to training, you have to love what you do. I do not think that working as a punishment for what I have eaten, but as a celebration of what I can do. Corny, I know, but it's true.
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