Hi r/loseit This is the first time I've ever posted any kind of details about myself online, but this community has convinced me it’s worth it.
I am 25F 5'4" and currently weigh about 160lbs. I have some serious chronic pain problems and joint instability which have impacted my ability to exercise for many years. My goal weight is 140 and while I used to be that person who lived and breathed at the gym the last few years have been rough.
I graduate college and went from 135 to 175. I gained 40 pounds over the course of year because I let my activity levels drop when I moved to a boring part of the country. I managed to drop about 15 of those pounds over the course of a year in graduate school doing CICO and riding my bicycle, and my inspiration in part was this sub. I love the community here and how kind everyone is.
I've recently had to stop weighing myself and calorie counting though as I tend to get a bit obsessive about those kinds of things and it was driving me insane. I’ll start up again in a few weeks when I’m feeling more stable.
I have been eating around 1200-1500 calories a day for nearly three years now. My former job required a lot of physical labor that took a toll on my joint injuries, so it seemed like diet was the way to go but it wasn't enough. I realize now that I experienced a slowing of my metabolism which was why my progress tanked and why any slip-ups in diet seemed to have dramatic and immediate consequences.
So, after using the calculator and seeing that my calories should have been enough I decided it was time to get serious about fitness again. I started swimming 2-3 days per week and rock climbing once per week about 6 weeks ago. I've also increased my calorie intake a little and while I haven't seen any dramatic weight loss (as happened to me in college) I have been feeling a LOT better about my body and my fitness levels.
starting about three weeks ago I started going to a gym 3-4 times per week. I cut my pool time to two times and I'm still rock climbing every chance I get. This has helped me immensely in being okay with my calorie increase. I've never been an unhealthy eater, so it was really starting to eat at me (no pun intended) that even the slightest deviation seemed to add to my weight. The pain was becoming a problem too. Both my shoulders and my knees are unstable, and it seems like 160 is my limit. Any heavier and I can’t go a day without serious pain problems and inflammation which I have felt self-conscious about for years.
So, this is where I’m at now. My job is completely sedentary for the moment but has very flexible hours, so it’s allowed me to really increase my exercise. I’m now going to the gym 3-4x per week, swimming 2x and rock climbing on Saturdays. I’ve been following this schedule for 3 weeks now and I’m not having too many problems with pain or muscle soreness. I’ve historically been a very active person and I’m doing my best to accommodate my pain/inflammation problems with my anxiety over calories.
I’m not sure if I’m looking for tips or encouragement or what, but I do want to say that hearing people talk on this community and reading the support they receive really gives me a boost in my motivation to lose fat-weight and stay strong. I don’t have a lot of people to talk to comfortably about this, so having the opportunity to join a community like this means a lot!
Thank you r/loseit!
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