A determined geek who cuts off the internet to lose weight loses 70 kg

If you often sit still for a long time while surfing the Internet, be careful of gaining obesity. A "homebody" named Lin in Taipei City who never leaves his house weighs more than 150 kilograms. He not only suffers from the "three highs" chronic diseases, but also suffers from sleep apnea. After being advised by a doctor, he first quit the Internet, go outdoors and exercise more. He successfully lost 70 kilograms in one year and effectively got rid of the nightmare of morbid obesity.

Lin, a "homebody" who never leaves his house (left in the picture), weighed more than 150 kilograms. He quit his internet addiction and successfully lost weight (right in the picture). (Photo/Reporter Zhang Shijie)

Lin Yannong, attending physician at the Obesity Center of Taipei Wan Fang Hospital, which treated the patient, pointed out that the general definition of obesity is based on the body mass index (BMI). The healthiest BMI value for adults is 22. If the body mass index exceeds 23, it is overweight; if it exceeds 27, it is obese; and if it exceeds 35, it is morbidly obese.

Surgery is not the only option for morbid obesity

Although morbid obesity is usually treated with surgery, it can still be improved through safe diet and exercise. Mr. Lin, 47 years old this year, was injured in a car accident more than 10 years ago. His ligaments were torn and his body became like a balloon. His weight soared to 151 kilograms.

Mr. Lin recalled, "Before I lost weight, I had to take up two seats on the bus and was looked at sideways by others. Even when I returned to my home on the third floor, I had to rest several times before I could climb the stairs. When I was obese, I couldn't do many things, let alone go out to work. I had to stay at home for many years and spend my days surfing the Internet."

Obesity may lead to sleep apnea

Dr. Lin Yannong from the rehabilitation department emphasized that Mr. Lin’s health was seriously affected by excessive obesity. His apnea-shallow breathing index (AHI) was as high as 111.8 counts/hr. Not only did he suffer from sleep apnea, he also suffered from heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and other diseases, and was hospitalized almost every year.

Afterwards, Mr. Lin decided to join the weight loss class at Wan Fang Hospital. After more than a year, Mr. Lin successfully reduced his weight from 147 kg to the current 74 kg, which is only half of his original weight; his waist circumference has been reduced from the original 142 cm to the current 88 cm, and the AHI index has dropped to 16.7 counts/hr. The blood pressure, blood sugar and uric acid indexes have also improved significantly.

A "homebody" named Lin lost 70 kilograms in one year before and after losing weight. (Photo/Reporter Zhang Shijie)

Exercise and diet are the basic elements of weight loss

Dr. Lin Yannong believes that the main reason for successful weight loss, in addition to quitting the habit of Internet addiction, is that the hospital's weight loss class combines nutrition classes, aerobic exercise, muscle strength training, low-calorie diet guidance, and behavior modification techniques. Rehabilitation physicians and nutritionists provide weight loss plan design consultation to teach obese people to lose weight in the right way and regain health and confidence.

Especially in the diet control part, the nutrition class of the weight loss class not only instructs on how to choose food correctly, tips on eating out for big meals, how to smartly shop at night markets, etc., but also provides personalized nutrition suggestions, including: writing a daily diet log, so that students can enjoy the little happiness of delicious food during the process of losing weight.

Sitting for long periods of time and being addicted to the internet can easily lead to obesity

Doctor Lin Yannong (left) and nutritionist Fang Qingyi (right) are very satisfied with the weight loss results. (Photo/Reporter Zhang Shijie)

Doctors remind that modern people rely more on 3C products and the Internet. The "static lifestyle" of sitting for long periods of time and doing little exercise is one of the causes of obesity. Weight loss clinics often find that young people sit in front of the computer at home except for eating and sleeping. The calorie consumption for the whole day is only 1,200 calories, which is far less than the 1,800 calories of adults of the same weight and normal activity, causing their weight to rise sharply.

Mr. Lin, a "homebody" who never leaves his house, was determined to lose weight for the sake of his health. He took the "feat" of cutting off the Internet, rejecting smartphones, and forcing himself to go out for exercise. As expected, he succeeded in losing half of his body weight, and his sleep apnea also improved significantly. This can be said to be a rare successful case of weight loss for people with morbid obesity.