Day 1? Starting your weight loss journey on Tuesday, 12 January 2021? Start here!

Today is your Day 1?

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Welcome to r/Loseit!

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So you aren’t sure of how to start? Don’t worry! “How do I get started?” is our most asked question. r/Loseit has helped our users lose over 1,000,000 recorded pounds and these are the steps that we’ve found most useful for getting started.

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Why you’re overweight

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Our bodies are amazing (yes, yours too!). In order to survive before supermarkets, we had to be able to store energy to get us through lean times, we store this energy as adipose fat tissue. If you put more energy into your body than it needs, it stores it, for (potential) later use. When you put in less than it needs, it uses the stored energy. The more energy you have stored, the more overweight you are. The trick is to get your body to use the stored energy, which can only be done if you give it less energy than it needs, consistently.

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Before You Start

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The very first step is calculating your calorie needs. You can do that HERE. This will give you an approximation of your calorie needs for the day. The next step is to figure how quickly you want to lose the fat. One pound of fat is equal to 3500 calories. So to lose 1 pound of fat per week you will need to consume 500 calories less than your TDEE (daily calorie needs from the link above). 750 calories less will result in 1.5 pounds and 1000 calories is an aggressive 2 pounds per week.

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Tracking

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Here is where it begins to resemble work. The most efficient way to lose the weight you desire is to track your calorie intake. This has gotten much simpler over the years and today it can be done right from your smartphone or computer. r/loseit recommends an app like MyFitnessPal, Loseit! (unaffiliated), or Cronometer. Create an account and be honest with it about your current stats, activities, and goals. This is your tracker and no one else needs to see it so don’t cheat the numbers. You’ll find large user created databases that make logging and tracking your food and drinks easy with just the tap of the screen or the push of a button. We also highly recommend the use of a digital kitchen scale for accuracy. Knowing how much of what you're eating is more important than what you're eating. Why? This may explain it.

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Creating Your Deficit

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How do you create a deficit? This is up to you. r/loseit has a few recommendations but ultimately that decision is yours. There is no perfect diet for everyone. There is a perfect diet for you and you can create it. You can eat less of exactly what you eat now. If you like pizza you can have pizza. Have 2 slices instead of 4. You can try lower calorie replacements for calorie dense foods. Some of the communities favorites are cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash in place of their more calorie rich cousins. If it appeals to you an entire dietary change like Keto, Paleo, Vegetarian.

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The most important thing to remember is that this selection of foods works for you. Sustainability is the key to long term weight management success. If you hate what you’re eating you won’t stick to it.

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Exercise

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Is NOT mandatory. You can lose fat and create a deficit through diet alone. There is no requirement of exercise to lose weight.

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It has it’s own benefits though. You will burn extra calories. Exercise is shown to be beneficial to mental health and creates an endorphin rush as well. It makes people feel *awesome* and has been linked to higher rates of long term success when physical activity is included in lifestyle changes.

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Crawl, Walk, Run

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It can seem like one needs to make a 180 degree course correction to find success. That isn’t necessarily true. Many of our users find that creating small initial changes that build a foundation allows them to progress forward in even, sustained, increments.

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Acceptance

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You will struggle. We have all struggled. This is natural. There is no tip or trick to get through this though. We encourage you to recognize why you are struggling and forgive yourself for whatever reason that may be. If you overindulged at your last meal that is ok. You can resolve to make the next meal better.

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Do not let the pursuit of perfect get in the way of progress. We don’t need perfect. We just want better.

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Additional resources

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Now you’re ready to do this. Here are more details, that may help you refine your plan.

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• Quick Start Guide - Build your foundation!

* Lose It Compendium - Frame it out!

* FAQ - Answers to our most Frequently Asked Questions!

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from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/35y2QoC

Had a hiccup. But I will not let it stop me.

So I have a problem with the eating portion of weight loss. If I make once mistake, I go crazy and binge eat everything in sight. And after I’m done, I self loath to the max!

Tonight it happened. I’ve been trying to cut sugar and carbs (excluding fruit) Monday-Friday. I have high cholesterol (half genetics, half my bad eating habits) and family history of type 2 diabetes (I currently do not have diabetes thankfully.) I’m only trying to eat carbs and sweet on weekends for now. To get myself the insane sugar addiction I have. I did well all day. Even last week. But after dinner, I had a strong urge to eat entenmann's mini chocolate donuts (I got them for my in-laws over the weekend for them to eat but they were really full from dinner). That’s the only junk I have at my house. I know not to have junk in my house or else situations like this will happen.

I pretty much had the whole box of donuts and shared about 4 with my husband. I started the self loathing process. But then I stopped myself. One bad mistake, snack, meal, shouldn’t stop me from continuing my healthy eating habits. I’m not dieting. I’m trying to alter my bad eating habits so that I can do better for myself. So in this very moment. I want to say I’m proud of myself. I’m not going to give up. I’m 5’7, 270. I’m determined to be better. And instead of these small hiccups where I falter. I’m going to continue. I’m going to fail. It’s ok. I’m going to fall. It’s ok. What I’m not going to do is be hard on myself. I deserve better. And no one can do that for me but me.

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from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/39h15go

I know I'm being a petty, jealous b**ch...but I'm still mad (A Rant)

Throw away for obvi reasons

I've been working out and dieting pretty hard for a while, losing steadily 1-2 lbs per week. A friend of mine, whom I've known for well over twenty years and see weekly, has not. I started around 225 and she started around 280. I opted to work out, she opted for bypass. In half the amount of time, she's lost twice the amount of weight. I'm jealous.

I know her weight loss does not negate mine. I know that everyone's journey is different. I know that I'm doing just fine and should keep on keeping on, mind my ps&qs etc., etc. It still chaps my ass though. Even after surgery, she's still eating out daily. She cooks maaaaaaaaaaaaaybe once a week at home. She doesn't work out. I've asked her to come with me to the gym and the answer is basically like, eh - I don't really need to. And here I am struggling through my high-protein yogurt and egg white omelettes (don't get me wrong, I am enjoying the food I cook/eat...but I'll be DAMNED if eating out every night wouldn't be easier/tastier!)

In the 20 years that I've known/been friends with this woman, she's never truly worked out/eaten right. She blames her weight on her parents and not having enough time (we have the same job, I have more kids and more responsibilities outside of work).

I'm just irked and needed to rant. It seems unfair (it's not, I know - stop whining...)

I know EVENTUALLY I'll get there, to my goal weight. I know I'm doing it in a sustainable way that is better for ME in the long run. I should consider how privileged I am that I am not even a candidate for surgery.

But maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan am I green with envy.

UGHHHHHH. long rant. Thanks for sticking w/ me. Have a good night!

Tl;dr: Friend had gastric bypass, I work out/eat right. Friend lost 2x as much weight in half the time. I'm unnecessarily jelly.

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from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/39s2UqY

Has anyone taken time off their school/work in order to lose weight? Or is it self-handicapping?

Weight loss in my case is unachievable, regardless of the pace, due to my lifestyle and priorities that I've sent without knowing.

It bothers how others manage to stay in shape while under big loads of stress because of the university deadlines. I hate saying that but I don't think I can handle weight loss while studying at this moment. It is too much for me. I will either procrastinate or emotional eat or get drunk. I don't even want to talk with my parents about it, that's why I'm here.

and that's why I think I should take a semester off but I wanted to ask those who lost weight; is this Is this a stupid thing to do and could I do better or is it actually valid?

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from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/38zLvgK

My long-term maintenance: how it works and how it doesn't

Hi /r/loseit friends. I find lurking in this sub really useful, so I thought it might help to add my perspective as a seemingly "naturally thin" person on how to do maintenance over a long time.

I'll be brief about my story: I gained a lot of weight in college and peaked at >140 lbs on my small 5'3" frame throughout my early 20s. I was just about overweight, but (due to some health issues) bore some markers of obesity even then. At doctors' urging, I started to diet, but briefly overshot to anorexia; I cycled down to 101 (gulp) and then back up to that >140 while trying to recover. But in the last 4 years, I've finally been able to stably maintain at 120-125 lbs, and in the last 6 months have cut down and maintained at 110-115 lbs, my ideal weight on a small frame. My goal is to stay in that narrow band for the next 2 decades (unless pregnant/nursing), maintain or improve my physical fitness with activity, and over time reduce the mindshare my diet occupies in my life.

Here's what I've learned in long-term maintenance that I hope will help you:

• Your weight is just another thing to deal with - it's not your value as a human. I've learned to think of excess weight as a pileup of something to deal with - like laundry or dishes piled up in your sink - dieting is a chore, it's annoying, it has to be done occasionally, but generating dishes or laundry isn't a personal failure or a "sin".
  • Don't ever beat yourself up over a a failure like you wouldn't beat yourself up over a few extra dishes left overnight. It's just work to deal with later, and the occasion (Christmas cookies?) probably deserved it.
  • Be gentle and realistic about goals. I know I will gain weight when I eventually pop out kids. I've actually saved up my old clothes that will fit me again at 120-130 and I'm genuinely excited to wear them when the time comes. We will probably all lose a little muscle and gain a little weight with age, and even as a "thin person" I'm no IG model; my tummy will always look a little fluffy and my legs will always have cellulite. That's okay! That's just real life outside filters and on real, 30-something body.
  • Weigh yourself regularly. With all that gentleness, you do need honestly. Weigh yourself often - weekly or more. Especially when you slip, don't let the scale psych you out. Everyone else can see it whether you look at it or not. And every choice matters. To really belabor that metaphor: it's okay to have a backlog, but never good to just refuse to look at the sink!
• Rules are a shortcut; the key is to figure out what rules work for you and use them to save mental energy of thinking about your weight or diet. You'll probably figure out your favorite rules when you diet, which (if you're on r/loseit) you're probably really good at. These are my rules, but the real learning is to use whatever works for you to do less thinking and more living:
  • Eat the same things. Counting calories and portion sizes works, but it takes a lot of effort; I have ~20 healthy dishes with good macros I know how to cook well and deliciously, and I know that I can maintain my weight if I eat those foods most of the time.
  • Move by default. When I do the kind of big workout that makes me hungry, I'll often end up eating more and it only causes harm to my weight. (It's great for strength, though!) On the other hand, going on regular walks with friends (including on the phone), using a standing desk to work, and walking on errands help a lot. So does having some physical hobbies like cycling, hiking, or whatever else you enjoy, but focusing on a workout regime can lead to "dropping it" when things get stressful, whereas building in fun activities or mandatory errands keeps that endorphin rush.
  • Don't eat or drink after X pm. I like junk but can live with intermittent fasting eating windows (generally 16 hrs a day, but really only stiff on "no food after 8 pm"). It prevents snacky noshing late at night and drunk bad choices. I let myself a couple exceptions to this rule a month of course. Light IF is also a great way to train the body to detox from eating constantly and builds creativity around food-less social activities in the evening.
  • Build a helpful environment: keep healthy stuff visible, triggers out of your house. My fridge always has blueberries, apples, carrots, cucumbers, eggs, and lean tofu and chicken for snacking at all times - since they're my favorite healthful foods. Sometimes I make a bunch of roast veggies and box them for later snacks. I also know my triggers and just don't keep them in stock: I know I will consume 100% of my favorite chips purchased within 3 days of them coming into the house, so I buy a little bag and plan for it - yes, like an alcoholic with a tiny bottle of vodka. Managing trigger foods is exactly like managing addiction and you need to figure out whether you can do small quantities or go cold turkey - IMO there's no wrong answer to the "cheat food" question other than how they make you feel.
  • Manage your tolerances especially for sugar. Sugar is triggering for nearly everyone, so in addition to the stocking issue (we bake cookies or pick up pastries from high-end shops sometimes, but do not stock grocery sweets like Oreos), my rule is to cultivate a taste for less of it. That just means reducing tolerance - so a smaller amount gives me the same sugar rush - and I do it by not eating sugar for a while. If I eat a whole chocolate chip cookie in a sitting I'm super happy but I need two the next day to be similarly happy, and it just escalates from there. So I eat one bite, or if I eat the cookie on one day I skip the second day. Same principle applies to amount of salt, butter, fat in foods, but sugar is the worst; there's a lot of research showing it's truly addictive to human brains and needs to be treated as such.

I'm not writing this because I'm a shining example of perfection - quite the opposite. For example, I binged an extra 500-1000 calories last night due to some work stress - giant bag of chips, chocolate, huge piles of crackers, ice cream, so much more. We all know the pattern. But instead of feeling guilt today I just know that means today I wear sweatpants, I'll cut out dessert tonight and drink water instead of juice for a couple of days, and maybe I won't restock the crackers when they're gone, and I look forward to my carb-bloat going down soon enough. And I'm remembering my decisions with a little annoyance and going to be a little more careful about that specific trigger next time. But it's okay! I probably gained 2 oz of fat all told; what's the big deal? It means nothing unless I let it ruin my week.

Weight loss is a psychological, physical, social, and logistical challenge. Having cycled up and down a few times, I now firmly believe that while maintenance is easier in most of those respects, it's a lot harder psychologically because it cannot be powered by self-loathing and other negative stuff that can push diets forward. Your plan is, simply, your life. It will continue until other health issues and aging (and death) get in the way, and so you have to approach it as attentiveness and self-care for your entire well-being. I'm still practicing and glad to be part of this community working on our health and our self-love together.

Best of luck to everyone, we will crush 2021 together! <3

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from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/35NHqnJ

Nearing my goal weight! 260 > 170 - 90 lbs

I’ve lost 90 pounds since beginning my weight loss journey in June. I’ve entirely changed how I eat, when I eat, and what I eat. I’ve done mild amounts of exercising throughout my weight loss journey and once I get to a place where I feel my fat is mostly gone I plan on trying to tone my body. All of that to say if you really want to lose weight you can do it. I did it all on my own. No personal trainer no fancy cooking. I simply cut out bad foods and replaced them with good foods. If you aren’t seeing results give it time. If you’re still not seeing results truly examine everything you eat. I can’t recommend intermittent fasting and the keto diet enough. These two things have entirely changed my life. Im currently 170lbs and hope to be down to 150 by my birthday in late March. I used to hate myself and my body so much but at almost 21 years old I am FINALLY starting to see changes and am FINALLY starting to not hate myself. 2020 was such a sad scary and crazy year but it also helped me entirely switch my life around and for that one reason I am thankful. Be kind to yourselves. Losing weight is not easy but it’s a journey that I’m so thankful to have started.

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from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/3i6fO24

Any personal trainers or dietitians (or just knowledgeable people) out there who can help me understand what to do with my RMR metabolism test results?

Recently took an RMR test and found out that I have a crazy fast metabolism, and that all the numbers I have been using my whole life to diet with are terribly wrong!

I'm 27, female, 5'8" and 145 lb. In the past, eating 1,200 cal and burning 500 cal with a fasted morning workout has gotten me results of losing 1-2 lb a week.

My RMR test says "what I burn" is: RMR 1,843+ Lifestyle/Activity 368 + Exercise 230 = Total 2,441 cal. The results put my ideal Weight Loss Zone at: 1,475-1,843 cal.

Does anyone know how I can use these results in a new weight loss plan that both restores my metabolism to where it should be, but also achieves weight loss results?

Thanks in advance!

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from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/39tAP2O