30 pounds down, and lots more to go (50 to leave the "obese" category) I've been going slow and steady. 30 pounds in 6 months is about half as fast as a safe maximum for me, but I don't mind going slow. I've never been slim, and I've never lost more than 5 pounds in a row, so this is a big life change for me. I want to do it in a way I can sustain, and in a way that lets me and my body adjust to changes gradually.
When I started I had a BMI of 43, obese class III, at 5'2" and 238 pounds. I felt uncomfortable in my body, and moving quickly or strenuously was embarrassing. In the first 10 pounds, I felt better. Lighter, stronger, quicker, and more in control. I feel better and better. Even if I get stuck forever where I am now, this will still be a great thing I did for myself.
For those who are starting pretty heavy, my advice is this: don't feel like you have to do it perfectly. Starting heavy is playing weight loss on easy mode. You don't have to be as hardcore as a person with 5 pounds to lose does. You don't have to eat 1200 calories and do pilates every day (and honestly you probably shouldn't). The bad news is that you probably have a lot more bad habits and destructive behaviors than someone with 5 pounds to lose, but that's okay. For myself, I have trouble with emotional eating, with portion control, with eating to keep up with my 6'2" partner, and with terrible hormonally influenced eating decisions. Here are all of the harmful behaviors I have extinguished, so far: 0. But everything on that list is something I've improved on. Will I have to get better to keep losing? Probably. But that's okay. You level up as you go! Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
3 "Rules" I haven't followed:
- I eat back my exercise calories. I do this with the aid of a fitbit, so it is more accurate than guessing based on how hard I felt I worked, but it's still just a guess, and I'm sure sometimes it gives me too many. I do have my goal set to a 1,000 calorie deficit, so even if my numbers are off, I have a margin of error. For me, I'm really trying hard to get myself to move more, and trying to retrain my brain to think of food as fuel. This method helps me build that connection.
- I don't weigh my food. This is probably the thing I do that is the most "easy mode". I don't want to say that this isn't necessary or good advice, especially for folks close to their goal, but personally I found the idea of this really overwhelming as I was getting started. If I have to do this down the line, I'll have my record of success to push me forward.
- I didn't take "before" pictures. Again, this is a case of knowing myself and what would and wouldn't work for me. I totally respect others that feel differently, but for myself, the only way I could do this was by accepting and loving the person I was at the start. I had to say "It's okay if I can't do this. I will still build a life I want if I never lose weight. But first, I want to try as hard as I can." I totally understand why it's helpful to see the "before" in stark relief, but I just couldn't line myself up in a mirror in my underwear without feeling like I was looking at that body as a failure.
Will I need to tighten my habits or follow different rules as I go? Probably. But this is what's worked for me in the beginning. It's okay to do this in a way that works for you, and at the speed that works for you. You do not have to lose weight to start being a good and valid person. If this feels too hard, it's okay to work on one thing at a time, improve one behavior or issue at a time. And if the way you're losing weight undermines your mental health, it's okay to take your foot off the gas. This is about building healthy habits for the rest of your life. You have time to get this right.
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