Valentin Bunea’s Secrets

„Valentin, how is it possible for you to maintain your weight for over a decade without counting calories and without exercising to exhaustion?”

I have intentionally left a photo below. It depicts an intermediary stage in my weight loss process for comparison. Weight in that stage is similar to my current weight.

✅ I STRAYED FROM THE PATH MANY TIMES

In 2010, I lost 27 kilos (from 110 to 83 kg – at 185 cm height) using the knowledge I had back then: eating lean chicken breast, cabbage salad, apples and doing cardio exercises every day until exhaustion.

Only later on, after I started researching weight loss and I took a good look in the retrospective mirror, I realized that a considerable amount of the loss was from my skeletal muscles.

✅ I KEPT MAKING MISTAKES

I made a lot of mistakes but I continued to learn and optimize.

The conclusion from specialized research was clear: if you want to live longer and better, it’s very helpful to keep and even grow your muscle mass.

Said and done: when I learn something new, I immediately start applying, I don’t procrastinate, even for one second.

✅ I HAVE PAID THE PRICE...

Unfortunately, I only started to do weights training around 2013 and that caused me a major hernia – as a consequence of the 10 straight years of running marathons while being overweight.

It took me almost 6 years to build a herniated disk management system (I never got an operation) and only in 2016 I started to do weights training, little by little.

✅ PROGRESS

Those who know more than me in this field estimate that I’ve managed to build between and 8 and 10 kg of muscles in 5 years.

An average of 2 kg of muscles for someone with a herniated disk (which is a major damper) – I believe that represents good progress. I’m not in a hurry anyway.

This was me after 1 year of poor nutrition, and tons of cardio on the left.

Best shape of my life on the right after 10 years of of optimizing nutrition, sleep and adequate training.

As you can see the difference between the 2 photos is staggering.

Unfortunatedly, right after I took the picture on the right I took part in a bicycle accident.

I now weigh in at 90 kg, with an estimated body fat percentage of 20% (I took a DEXA test).

I have probably the same body fat percentage as in 2010 when I had lost weight, but I now have some extra muscle mass.

So from the point of view of the body fat percentage, I’m maintaining my levels for over 13 years.

✅ I LIKE EXERCISING

I honestly never gained weight in my life because of less exercise.

I always exercised. I ran marathons. When not running marathons, I was cycling. Now I do a lot ok walking and I also exercise for 15-20 minutes a day.

For all my life, exercising was a constant thing in my life. I like exercising. Better said: I like the way I feel after exercising.

I never gained weight because of less exercise because I always exercised in some ways.

Even when my kids were young, even when my herniated disk was causing pain. Even during the pandemic.

Even in my early youth, when I was either overweight, fat or downright obese, I was still cycling, roller skating, swimming, running. I kept myself active all year long.

✅ ONLY ONE EXCEPTION

The only time in my life when I didn’t exercise: after my cycling accident.

3 years ago I had a major collision with a motorist while on my bicycle. I was sidelined for 3 straight weeks.

I had to stay in bed for 3 whole weeks and I noticed, for the first time in my life, a major decrease in my appetite. Practically, overnight.

As soon I resumed exercising, my appetite came right back.

The accident, the pandemic, stress, daily struggles, young children – yet I am still maintaining my weight for over 13 years.

Not only I am maintaining my weight, but the mirror also shows progress from a body composition perspective. Where’s the secret?

✅ SECRET #1: SLEEP

I learned from expert literature, after having worked with thousands of individuals and from personal experience that one crucially important factor is sleeping early.

Practically, the earlier we’ll go to bed (between 8 and 10 PM), the less often we will eat.

And we will eat cleaner food and more moderately. The better we’ll eat, the smaller the frequency and intensity of sweet cravings.

Therefore, the earlier we go sleep, the more balanced we are.

This way, our chances of eating healthier and sticking to our diets increase, no matter of our diet plan.

🏆 PRO Tip: sleeping is FREE.

✅ SECRET #2: WALKING

Of course I sometimes nibble or snack. Don’t think I’m a robot.

The only difference: I snack less frequently than the average person. And after 13 years I certainly do it in a more controlled fashion.

What I also have is a 2-step daily magic process by which I make those calories disappear.

I stand. And I walk. Every day, I stand for at least 5-6 hours and I walk for at leat an hour a day on average.

These 2 „magic” steps use up around 500 calories from my fat reserves. Daily. Every day.

🏆 PRO Tip: standing and walking are FREE.

✅ SECRET #3: NO JUNK FOOD IN THE HOUSE

I never buy snacks. Therefore, I don’t have them at home. Which means I don’t crave for them, I don’t have to use my willpower to abstain and, therefore, I don’t eat junk.

What I am referring to is, of course, junk food. I never keep stuff that might tempt me at 9 PM (or anytime) around the house.

As a natural consequence, I never have discussions with the kids along the lines of „I want this or that”. We never have „this” or „that” around the house. Ever.

If we want to have ice cream, we will go out together and get the best possible ice cream. We will never have a 1 kilo box of ice cream in the fridge. We will never pig out.

If we want to have pizza, we will go out on the weekend and get the best possible pizza in town, after, of course, having had proper food and after cycling for 20 km.

If we want popcorn, we’ll go to the movies. What we want to avoid is watching Netflix while snacking on a big bowl of popcorn. We will never pig out.

I want my children to inherit healthy habits. I want my children to look and feel normal, not like mini hungry-hungry hippos.

🏆 PRO Tip: Not buying junk food is FREE.

It will also save you tens of thousands of EUR/USD/GBP in the next 10 years.

If you also include dietician appointments, body treatments, therapy, bariatric surgery to the list – you will save a fortune.

People say: „Oh Valentine, you are surely exaggerating.”

This is for sure my reputation. I am seen by my peers as exaggerated, a tyrant.

I have struggled with obesity for 28 years. I managed to finally lose the weight 13 years ago and to keep it off since.

When people say „You are too extreme” I just hear: You are dedicated, focused, consistent, passioned.

✅ SECRET  #4: LIGHT, BUT STILL TASTY

I make sure to always choose foods that have the lowest possible number of calories.

That’s because I want to have a normal, fit body – meaning with a low body fat percentage.

1. I always have sugar-free ketchup in my fridge. It’s low-calorie, but still tasty;

2. I always have low-calorie mayonnaise in my fridge. It’s low-calorie, but still tasty;

3. I always have sugar-free mustard in my fridge. It’s low-calorie, but still tasty;

4. I keep burger meat in my freezer. It’s low-calorie, but still tasty;

5. When I buy chicken, I make sure it’s skinless. It’s low-calorie, but still tasty;

6. I choose strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and other fruits that have twice or three times the calories of blueberries, mango or bananas.

7. When I buy frozen vegetables, I make sure they are under 35 calories / 100 grams (some have over 60-70 calories per 100 greams). You guessed it - It’s low-calorie, but still tasty;

8. I know how to prepare a super-versatile and delicious desert cake. 90 calories per 100 grams.

9. I have a super-low-calorie and super-fine protein powder that I blend with frozen strawberries and „take it veggie”. The result is an incredibly tasty and low-calorie milkshake – should I crave something sweet.

The protein powder was carefully selected. I like the strawberry flavor.

Now is the time to make an important statement.

I DON’T DO AFFILIATE MARKETING.

I don’t have any sort of collaboration with any producer or retailer. I don’t have sponsors and I don’t make any money from making recommendations or endorsements.

10. I never buy sour cream. I buy Greek yoghurt.

11. I never buy the 10% Greek yoghurt. When I want to have yoghurt, I buy the 0% Skyr which is super creamy and fine. It’s low-calorie, but still tasty;

12. I never use oil to fry my food. That would make my calorie intake explode. I use an Airfryer. You can use any such convection heat appliance. The quantity of fat in the food will be severely reduced and the meal itself will be low-calorie (but stil tasty).

13. I never drink my calories. I don’t drink freshly squeezed fruit juices, cream soups, yoghurt, alcohol of any kind. I drink fizzy mineral water and zero-sugar soda.

Yes, I know the WHO puts aspartame on the carcinogen list, but I have to eventually die from something. No one is perfect.

Just kidding, Fanta Zero has Zero Aspartame. And aspartame is fine, by the way.

🏆 PRO Tip: all the 13 steps from above cost nothing extra.

✅ TO CONCLUDE

To conclude, I never count calories, but I always know how to select the lower-calorie option – low-calorie, but still tasty.

Anywhere I am, in any context, when I am at work, when it’s the weekend or when I’m on holiday – I always know.

Maybe such fine details seem irrelevant. They mostly are. From day-to-day or week-by-week perspective, they are almost insignificant.

But from month to month, year over year, decade to decade: the effect of such details is colossal.

If you want to learn more of Valentin’s secrets, you can subscribe to read more.

Thank you for your attention. I really know how precious it is.