(SV after 48 days) 24/M [SW: 269.2 | CW: 250.2 | GW1: 215 GW2: 165] I've finally been able to conquer my terrible habits and feeling a little bit better about myself.

I've been trying to commit to weight loss for years - I comfort ate, didn't track anything, and was generally unhappy with anything related to my body. I didn't exercise and probably had a pretty steady diet of 2800-3000 calories of whatever I wanted per day.

I can't really seen significant changes yet to my body itself, but I'm almost down 20lbs. in fewer than two months, and this feels like a major win to me. This community has been great, and I hope to be down to a healthy weight for my frame/height by next year!

Here are a few tips that have helped me conquer the mental hurdles:

• You don't have to nix your favorite foods. Let me say that another way: you will have to cut down your portion sizes, you will have to compromise how long you are willing to take to meet your weight loss goals, and you will have to limit how frequently you let yourself have them. But when I found myself having to "cut" my favorite foods, I ended up demotivated. I still have carbs, but I limit them to a reasonable amount. I still have sugar but have found that it generally isn't something I'm craving anymore. I have significantly smaller-portioned, more decadent goodies to help me stay afloat.
• You do have to work hard. Discipline isn't easy. People have blamed my young age, but the reality is that I'm counting every single calorie that goes into my body and I'm walking a minimum of 6 miles per day, if not more, plus doing IF daily and HIIT 2-3 days a week. It's not easy. But my effort shows.
• You need a socially-conscious view of food and drink. I didn't want to cut out beer because I love sharing it with friends (and the same goes for certain foods/restaurants). Fit these things into your calorie counts for the day. If you go over, don't fret too much—it's much healthier to be making good decisions 6 out of 7 days a week and having one gathering with friends that help alleviate some of your stressors than it is to not track anything at all. In other words, when the next day begins, it's a new day. I may have eaten terribly last night when I hosted several friends for a cookout; that said, today is a new day and I can keep doing what I've been doing.

Outside of these three principles, I haven't changed much. I'm eating fewer carbs, and avoiding when I can, but overall not a "low carb" and is a completely sustainable diet for me—especially considering I can work more of those things I love in once I'm done losing and merely trying to maintain.

Believe what you read here on r/loseit: it's all about CICO. If you keep track of this, it will work. Be persistent. Don't sell yourself short. Realize you're awesome for making better decisions for your life.

One final thing: I committed to being okay spending more to get healthy foods I like. I drink so much Topo Chico. I haven't had a soda since I started, and it gives me the same satisfaction soda did—but it's just water! It's a little more expensive, but I think of it this way: think about all the medical bills I'm saving on in the future.

All this is to say thank you to this community. You guys have helped me make a plan that actually feels manageable. My friends have lost weight practically starving themselves, doing keto, doing crazy diets that are ridiculously restrictive...but simple measuring of CICO and having the right attitude can go such a long way in health.

submitted by /u/cabarny
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