Apple Watch Helped Me Lose Weight And Kept It Off So Far

I've lost about 15 pounds in the last twelve months and have managed to keep it off all thanks to my Apple Watch. It is not much but for someone who has struggled with weight on and off, it's great to have such a device that is so capable of helping me through this journey to become fit and, more importantly, stay fit. Let me stress this important point: Apple Watch is helping me keep the pounds from coming back.

I could have rushed headlong into losing 20-25 pounds in months but that had not yielded the results that I wanted which was to keep it off. Because the few times that I have managed to do that, the pounds slowly came back. Lose five here, gain six back. Lose fifteen and see ten or twelve come back weeks laster. 

Apple Watch is a great companion that allowed me to keep track of my movements, calorie counts, and reminders to get moving. I work in an office environment. I think many folks who work in offices also know how easy it is to just want to sit there and get lost into the work. So, I make sure that I able to get a walk or run out before work and a few steps during work before my evening walk after dinner. 

During this past winter, California received much relief in terms of rainfall and record snowpack through out most of the of state but alleviated an ongoing multi-year drought. From about December through March, we received 80% more than we normally get here in Los Angeles. Thank goodness for those atmospheric rivers. Personally, I hope more will come.

This does come at a cost to my weight loss scheme - I definitely cannot run as much as I like. It meant that I'm not able to be as active outdoors. I still have to take my dog out for her walks but she is not a fan of the rain so our walks are brief. That means I have to do more indoor exercises. More steps indoor.  A lot of walking in circles. I'm able to achieve my goals and close the rings on most days.

Before the Apple Watch, I would not known exactly how I was doing through the day to help me achieve my fitness goals. I suppose this is why weights came back. I simply did not know what it would take. When the iPhone gained a pedometer feature through apps using the accelerometer, it was very useful. On the larger iPhones like the Max, it becomes a bit cumbersome carry such a big piece of glass and metal in your pocket the whole day. It was easier on the smaller iPhones like the iPhone SE for instance. With the bigger iPhones, I left it on my desk most of the time.

In the past years with more wet weathers, I probably would have gained back the ten pounds I lost over the previous months. However, this winter, with the aid of the Apple Watch, I was happy that I did not gain one single pound. I did not lose any either. I supposed I just had to be more active to continue to lose weight but closing the rings was enough to help me keep the gains at bay.

While I was entirely shocked by the lack of weight gain, I am happy to know that I have achieved a level of activity that allows me to maintain a healthy level of physical activity and health. 

I am not beholden to my Apple Watch. I suppose I can get a $5 pedometer and try to achieve the thirteen thousand steps I have been averaging a day for 2023. And it is not all about the Apple Watch. It's what I consume that is just as important and how much I eat. 

As with an weight loss programs or weight training regimen, it is important that we continue to put in the work. The Apple Watch can only do so much. It cannot make lose the pounds for me. That was all me. It can only help me prepare ahead of time my meals and how much I should consume. Whether I overeat or still to my portion controls is entirely up to me.

Still, having the data from the Apple Watch and recording them daily on my Numbers sheet has given me a good idea of just how I am doing overall.