How much weight have I lost in this journey so far?
Judging by the clothes I wear and feeling my rib bones while sleeping at night I already knew that I have lost some, but how much exactly?
Today in Quito, I saw an old man in the street with a weight-machine and after paying 25 cents, I got the answer.
“Sesenta kilos (60 kilos)!” the man declared.
I bent down and took a long look at the dial to confirm it. He was right. I took off the shoes and the jacket and stood on the weight machine again (I couldn’t take off all the clothes).
“59 kilos!”
This means I have lost 17 kilos!
This happened over the course of 11,200 km of cycling with some 14,000 km still left in the journey!
When I began this tour of Americas a year ago I weighed 76 kilos. Five months later, I reached Santiago where I bought these new Mammut pants. Masroor, a Pakistan friend who lives there, was also with me when we went for shopping in Costanera Centre. I had already lost a few kilos by then and bought these trousers because they were a good fit and I could wear them without a belt. Seven months since buying these trousers, it is no longer possible to wear them without a belt. As I don’t have a belt, I have to tie a drawstring around them. By looking at this picture taken today, can you guess what will happen if I try to wear the pants with a support?
There are few reasons for such weight loss!
First, when I am cycling I do not like to take extended breaks which often means no lunch. Second, cycling in the extremely mountainous terrain burnt almost all fat on my body. Third, the food here is meat-oriented which I don’t prefer to eat. What I usually find in cheap restaurants is a small portion of rice with salad and egg which does not provide enough calories. In bigger cities, I often skip lunch to save money so I can eat pizza at night.
This, my friends, is the secret of my weight loss!
If you are looking to reduce some kilos, you are welcome to follow my diet and routine, but it is not recommended!