Does anyone else find that they eat more when counting calories?

I don't believe I starved myself when I don't count calories. I felt fine and whatever.

That being said, I'm not good at estimating calories based on my guessed serving size, and I tend to over estimate the calories of what I ate. Then, because I think I ate more than I really did, I have a lighter meal later in the day and a very small dessert.

However, when I count calories and really pay attention to the nutritional info, I see that I am left with a decent amount of calories at the end of the day, so I treat myself to a reeeaaally decadent dessert or more treats throughout the day, or use butter when cooking, fry my eggs, have a second serving, etc.

So, I end up eating MORE because I'm not overestimating calories.

I should also add that I use a weight loss program where you "earn back" calories for steps and weight lifting. I walk easily 15K+ steps a day and work out 5 days a week.

So, I end up with at least a 1,600 calorie budget most days.

(I lose an average of 3lbs a month. It's slow but generally steady)

Edit: I figured out I was overestimating calories because I wasn't using a food scale. Now I'm using one and seeing how wrong my estimates were!

The goal is to get used better at estimating so I don't need the scale, but that's been a challenge

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Is my calorie intake okay for maintenance and activity level?

I have been on my weight loss journey for four years now. I have managed to lose 130 pounds or so. When I started my journey, I used to weight 260ish pounds now I weight 130. After years of being in a caloric deficit (on and off) I want to maintain my current weight (130) while still being active and not sedentary. For reference: 28m, 130lb, 5'8".

My goal for now is maintenance while still remaining active/fit.

I just do not know what my new calorie intake is. After months of being on a deficit, I do not know what a normal healthy deficit is for me.

I have been eating 2,100 calories for now (most online calculators gave me this maintenance for a lightly active person).

However, I do not know if my current activity level puts me in the lightly active category. I worry that I will gain actual fat. I do admit, I have to gain muscle - but my body needs a break -so maintenance is my goal for now.

My activity level: I do 45 minutes of light cardio in the morning, I do not strain myself too hard. I burn around 150-200ish calories (according to my Apple Watch. I also try to get 10,000 steps of movement each day (walking around work, doing chores, etc.) I do 45 min cardio 6 days a week.

Would this activity level be considered lightly active for me?

It feels weird not pushing myself when I do cardio, I'm used to the intensity of it. However, I have to remind myself the goal for my cardio is not to lose weight but to remain fit and for endurance.

My question is, will my new caloric intake of 2,100 calories be enough to maintain my weight as it is now? Like I said, I do not want to gain or lose weight. Does my activity level put my at a lightly active person? I do not want to be a sedentary person, and I do need to up my calories.

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Been told I look taller

6'1" F, SW 237, CW 204 (HW 260). So yesterday a coworker told me I was looking skinny and then proceeded to tell me how much taller I looked as well. I dont work closely with this woman, but we see each other in the building several times a week. Interesting.

THEN today I see someone at work I probably haven't seen in a year, when I was somewhere between my SW and HW. She tells me I look taller, but no comment on my weight. I'm much closer on a personal level with the coworker I hadn't seen in a year but I am not surprised she wouldn't say anything about my weight loss specifically, not offended in the least!

Soooooo do you think I could actually look taller?! I just thought it was so funny that two unrelated people gave me this compliment (I think its a compliment 🤣) two days in a row. I have been doing yoga every day for the last 3ish months...wondering if its helped with my posture and losing weight has just made me carry myself straighter? Or do you think its a way of people acknowledging something is different physically without treading into the weight area?

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Is a weightloss coach worth it?

I’m 32F in a calorie deficit and I’m aiming to lose 50 lbs. I’ve got PCOS, ADHD, mild depression, anxiety and many other issues. I’ve started therapy but that’s separate to weight loss. I’m currently on day 4 of being in a calorie deficit and I want to quit. It’s the mental side of weight loss that I’m struggling with. It’s the constant food noise. It’s like mental torture. I’m miserable and I can’t do this alone. I’ve also got a bit of money saved up and thought…should I just get a weight loss coach? This is for ME. I’m investing in my own health. I need someone to cheer me along the way, atleast for the first six months whilst I get the hang of this. Especially because I know it’s going to take a whole YEAR or more to get to my goal weight. I’m just wondering if it will be weird to pay for a coach who can motivate me? I’m desperate at this point and I keep quitting weight loss because of the lack of motivation. And please don’t tell me “it’s not about motivation, it’s about discipline”. Yeah I know that but that’s not working for me right now. I need motivation and accountability for the meantime. I need external support and I’m not able to do this alone.

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Not seeing physical difference with weight loss but definitely in a calorie deficit.

I understand losing weight is a slow process and it takes time. However I haven't noticed any physical changes with losing fat in maybe a month now. Typically I can see the difference.

To elaborate more on my journey, I weighed 350+ last August and began changing my eating habits, eating fresh foods, protein and fiber dense foods, watching my calorie intake and staying in a deficit of 800-1000. I was literally watching the weight shed off me. As of three weeks ago I'm back in the gym because I was worried about losing too much muscle. To help with that I've been taking Creatine after my workouts as well and taking L-Carnatine because I heard it's a safe supplement that would assist in fat loss. I weighed myself today and was at 269.0 (morning weight). Now honestly idc too much of what the scale says anymore, especially knowing creatine is going to tack on a few pounds. Whatever. BUT physically I'm not seeing changes in fat loss (have seen muscle growth).

I'm definitely in a deficit still, maybe 500-700 at least and some days more, I am tracking EVERYTHING. Am I just overthinking it or possibly just not seeing progress anymore, are the supplements possibly preventing it, could there be something else? I just get frustrated not seeing the progress anymore

Edit: 30 year old, Male, 5'11 or 6'0. 2800 Cal for maintenance, typically eating 1600-2100 per day

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Habits I do NOW vs. when I was 70 pounds heavier

For context, I went from over 210 pounds to 143 pounds as of this morning. I figured that sharing these tips can help anyone who’s currently struggling on their journey, and I would hate for anyone to make the same mistakes I made and feel lost!!

1. Focus on making the MAJORITY of your intake nutrient rich foods!! Throughout my weight loss journey, I focused on eating lean sources of protein (grilled chicken/fish, egg white omelets, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, soy, beans/lentils), carbohydrate sources with FIBER (seeded/keto branded breads/tortillas, beans/lentils again, fruits+veggies, potatoes, fiber enriched cereals), and a portioned amount of healthy fats for satiety and hormone health (avocados, cashews, hummus, egg yolks, almond butter), and this helped me feel full AND satisfied throughout my weight loss and maintenance journey. Also, if you have a lot of weight to lose, your maintenance calories are most likely higher than someone who’s much lighter, meaning that you can DEFINITELY fit room for fun foods (chocolate, baked goods, your favorite fast food burger, etc). Doing this has helped me immensely with not binge eating because I know that I can STILL have ice cream or chicken nuggets and make progress, it’s about fitting it into my calorie budget. There is no “good” or “bad” foods, it comes down to your overall calorie intake!!

2. Find out what you’re actually FEELING before making food decisions. I know that probably sounds stupid, but if you’ve struggled with binging/emotional eating, we tend to turn to food for comfort, to relieve stress, or get a hit of dopamine! Most of my binges came from feeling overwhelmed about something in my life, and if you feel the urge to go to your grocery store and buy a whole cake, pint of ice cream, and family size bag of tater tots with chicken nuggets + add ons for those tots, sit with that feeling (AWAY from the kitchen or store) and identify what you’re ACTUALLY feeling. Food is most likely NOT going to help you in that instant, but reflecting and engaging in low stress activities will!

3. Don’t go without eating for too long OR cut your calories too low!! Doing either (or both) of these will increase your hunger hormone (ghrelin) and decrease your fullness hormone (leptin) to a point where you feel RAVENOUS, and it’s much harder to make rational food choices if you’re hungry af. This can also raise your cortisol, making you feel like you’re in fight or flight mode, hence making it harder to make rational decisions. Slow and steady wins the race, so before you go cut your calories, make sure it’s not an aggressive approach (plus it can increase your risk of losing muscle, and I bet you’re trying to lose body fat primarily).

4. Do an exercise routine you ENJOY!! For me, I walk at least 10k steps a day and find ways to fit extra steps into my routine if I’m busy with work- but this helps raise my Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) by a fair amount, meaning that my deficit calories aren’t incredibly low, and I don’t feel overly hungry because it’s low intensity exercise. I also incorporate weight lifting a few times a week to preserve/gain muscle, and if you weight train throughout your weight loss journey, you can look leaner/better at a higher weight because muscle is more dense than fat! I find it much more sustainable maintaining my weight at 140 pounds and lean vs when I ran and was 110 pounds in high school- especially because it gives me more wiggle room for how much I can eat.

5. If you do overeat/binge, MOVE ON!! I know it’s easier said than done, especially if you feel puffy, bloated, and sick the next day, but if you dwell on one binge, it increases your likelihood for binging again. Instead, reflect on why it happened, make changes where it’s necessary, and remember that it won’t derail your progress if you get back on track and give yourself grace. The way I got to my heaviest was by binging, then feeling the need to heavily restrict, only to feel RAVENOUS within two days, and then eat excessively again. It was a vicious cycle, and I’ve definitely had episodes where I ate too much throughout my weight loss, but getting back on track and being consistent is what got me to where I am. Remember, it’s CONSISTENCY, not perfection.

6. Think about how you can make your favorite fun foods nutrient rich, but still tasty!! You will never catch me eating raw broccoli, but cooking it to where it gets crispy on the edges is BOMB. With chicken nuggets/strips, I’ll either make homemade versions or get the Real Good brand because I find it tasty. With chocolatey desserts, I’ve found low/zero added sugar alternatives that still taste good, and with Mac n cheese or burgers, I’ve used leaner ground beef/turkey, lower carb buns (I like the aunt Millie’s one) and pasta brands that are higher in fiber + making a homemade cheese sauce that’s lower in calories but higher in protein. Doing this makes the diet not FEEL like a “diet,” and something that you can stick to long term. And if you are craving “the real thing,” make sure it’s actually WORTH it! I like poptarts, but I’m not going to use my calories for them because I know that my local bakery has AMAZING poptarts/pastrys, so I have one or two every week. It’s like a special occasion, and no poptart will ever compare.

If yall have any questions or habits you’d like to share, please share 💜

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Exercise feels embarrassing

I've fallen into a funk, and am having negative thoughts about my weight loss.

I usually work out using machines, or just do cardio on the stairs or elliptical. I am a little more toned and feel stronger than I used to be, but I still feel so inadequate.

I feel embarrassed to use free weights or Smith machine because I know I will do the movements wrong. I'm afraid of encountering people who will make snide/rude remarks.

I don't have any gym friends who I could ask for help. I feel weak and stupid when I try new things in front of people. I know everyone isn't staring at me, but I feel like they are and I feel judgement. I know I should probably just work out at home, but my house doesn't have adequate space. I don't like my basement. My house is hoarded to hell.

I feel so alone. I feel like I'm close to giving up on my weight loss.

I also had to cancel my semaglutide because I didn't want to pay all that money when I still haven't made life style changes (eating more protein, consistent sleep, tracking calories and water intake).

How do I stop thinking like this?

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