Kristian gets rid of belly fat at super speed
The weight showed 169.1 kilos, and Kristian Erhardtsen (29) struggled with fear of death.
– I woke up at night with palpitations, and pushed down on unhealthy food. I was sure I was going to die of a heart attack.
The sociology student from Denmark says that he had previously tried to lose weight without success, but that an experience at the beginning of January was supposed to be the starting point for a massive weight reduction.
Danske Ekstrabladet mentioned the case firstt.
– I got into my car and knew that my stomach was stuck in the steering wheel. Then I thought; «but damn it, I can’t feel like this».
A diet consisting of chips, chocolate, pizza and junk food had swallowed Kristian into a deep depression.
– I had been depressed for a number of years because I didn’t like myself. The more the weight increased, the more depressed I became. Then I chose to eat to forget how I felt.
«From sea lion to beach lion»
He that he thought it was embarrassing to be so big, and that he therefore ordered junk food to the door to tell people to avoid eating in public.
– No one around me commented on my weight, but I know that my family has been very worried.
Kristian decided to take action. He named the project “From sea lion to beach lion”. The strategy was clear. He had to walk ten thousand steps and eat between 1800-2000 calories daily.
At home, he set up a whiteboard where he had to document the results.
– At the end of the month, I wrote down how much I had lost, as well as recording a five-minute video of me talking to myself. That way, I could always look back at how it had gone.
The video was an important motivational factor, which is a visual proof of the weight loss.
– I had no need to study myself in the mirror anymore, because I had more proof that the slimming process was going the right way. Fortunately, I am someone who gets very motivated if I see that I am achieving results.
Adjust food intake
PhD and senior doctor Samira Lekhal at the Center for Morbid Obesity in Health South-East believes that the most important criterion for losing weight is to adjust the amount you eat. During the caloric deficit, the body uses the fat store, and this is the recipe for weight reduction.
– I would like to praise him for being so brave as to talk openly about the mental difficulties associated with obesity. We know that obesity is often linked to physical and mental health, says Lekhal.
She is also impressed by the enormous weight loss he has achieved on his own.
– It is not common to manage to lose so many kilos in a few months, but there is no documentation that it is not good. He has achieved a weight loss that is in line with those who undergo surgery or who use medication to lose weight, she says, jokingly:
– There are a few who manage it by changing their lifestyle alone, but that is rare.
She thinks the combination of fewer calories and a higher level of activity works as a perfect combination for Kristian.
– The fact that he has walked a lot is also a good move to promote combustion. It may seem much more affordable for most than having to drag yourself along to tough training sessions.
According to the superior, who is one of the country’s leading experts on obesity, are five elements you should consider if you want to lose weight.
1. For most people, it’s about eating regularly. Fasting can work for some, but research shows that regular food intake is a good aid for losing weight and for managing weight loss.
2. Eat large portions. If you stay too long, you can quickly end up overeating.
3. Avoid high-calorie drinks. We drink many of the calories we take in during the day, so be careful with sugary sodas, sweetened coffee drinks and energy drinks.
4. Pay attention to the availability of food. If we have many options to use at home, it becomes more difficult to choose it. Try to handle inn everyday food during the weekdays, and save the treats for weekends or special occasions.
5. Get control of what we call emotional eating. Often we eat not because we are hungry, but because it is based on emotion. Gain insight into your own eating pattern. Do you perhaps eat because you are actually angry, bored, stressed or anxious?
– The first month was the worst
On average, Kristian lost between ten and eleven kilos a month, and the Dane was so excited that he increased to 40,000 steps a day to speed up the process.
On 27 September 2022, Kristian had reached his goal. He had managed to lose 85 kilos, and weighed 84 kilos.
– I ate almost the same thing every single day, and it was super boring. But it worked.
– Were you very hungry when you started this diet?
– Yes, in the beginning I was very hungry all the time. The first month is the worst, and then it gets easier.
– Alpha Omega
Today, Kristian eats more varied food, and now it’s mostly about being the new weight. But he still walks ten thousand steps a day, and can say that it is one of the best things he can do for both his physical and mental health.
– The walks are alpha omega for me. They give me a breather and the opportunity to reflect on things. If I have a bad day, I feel much better when I get home from a trip.
Kristian believes that most people benefit from having people around them who cheer and support them during a slimming process, but for his own part he chose to carry out the execution entirely on his own.
– I was so depressed that I didn’t have the energy for someone to try to get me to train. I wanted to do it my way, and had decided not to talk to anyone about dieting until I had managed to lose 25 kilos.
The 29-year-old remembers well how he felt at his heaviest. How out of breath he was on the stairs, and the cramped feeling he got from sitting in a chair.
– It is fantastic to be able to sit in a chair without feeling that everything is leaking out. These are small things you don’t think about if you haven’t been overweight yourself.
– Love myself
The most important thing Kristian has learned through the process is to regulate emotions with things other than food. If he knows about bad feelings today, he chooses to go for a walk or to do other things that get his mind on something else.
Just like he doesn’t want to live a life controlled by weight and calories.
– I’m going to eat and enjoy myself at Christmas, but it’s about being aware of the amount. If I gain a few kilos, I’m fine. I know how to regulate it again.
– How do you feel in your «new» body?
– I have always been overweight and tired of myself, but now I am so happy with my new body. I can say that I love myself, and I have never done that before. I am genuinely happy to see myself in the mirror.
It loosens the skin, he cares a little about it.
– It’s a nice reminder of how bad I’ve been. It doesn’t matter to me, I’m just very proud of what I’ve achieved, and you’d rather discuss whether I’ve become a beach lion, says Kristian and laughs.