Different methods at different times can still yield great results! 35lbs/15.9kg lost! List of learnings. :)

Just thinking about how I've managed to lose 35lbs/15.9kg in the last 8 months with two separate methods and wanted to share these learnings:

1. Go with what works for you. Know that what works for you may be ever evolving and different at different times. It's not one size fits all (lol) and it's not one method fits you the same forever.
2. Try to keep moving forward towards your goals. Sometimes slowly is plenty fast enough.
3. Balancing life and weight loss goals is an important part of a healthy goal.
4. It may not be sustainable to be super dedicated to quicker weight loss for a long time, but that doesn't mean it's unhealthy to be hyper focused on it some of the time. You can go back and forth without it being a yo-yo diet; give yourself some flexibility to move and grow throughout the process and throughout the life changes in your year.
5. Find exercise that is fun! It makes your body feel amazing and also helps with weight loss (you can't out exercise a bad diet of course, but the extra hundreds of calories burned certainly doesn't hurt either!).

Me

Female, 31 years, 5'1", 187lbs/84.8kg starting weight to 151.6lbs/68.8kg current weight. Goal weight is 125lbs/56.7kg although 130lbs/59kg may end up being a healthy weight for me as I've always had broad shoulders and been kind of muscle-y.

Beginning: Strict Diet, Quicker Results

Mid-June 2020 to mid-September 2020 I was on a very dedicated diet. 1200 calories, moderate swimming 4 days a week, planning and watching everything I ate. It was awesome, I felt great, weight was falling off, I wasn’t too hungry or anything after the initial few weeks of acclimating. Ate measured dessert every day. Felt like I could do it forever. Lost 27 pounds (12.25kg). Amazing. For 14 weeks I averaged 1.93lbs lost per week (.88kg).

Middle: Less Strict Diet, More Exercise, Slower Results (But still definitely results!!)

Mid September 2020-now, I stopped being so dedicated. Went on a few pandemic style staycation vacations that included some wine tasting and outdoor dining. They stopped the perfection and I just never really wanted to get back on board. I was enjoying life a bit more with the flexibility. I enjoyed the holidays, which have a large food component for me. I love to cook and bake and got to do that more again. I tried to not go overboard or change my habits too much, but I ate more pasta and more dessert and started getting take out again. I also took up running in mid November addition to the swimming and fell in love with it. I started running 3 and now 4 days a week and it's been so much fun. I am not counting calories. I tried for a week to go back to my original deficit and was miserable. I am so happy right now.
But here's the real win: Since mid-September I’ve lost another 9 lbs (4kg). !!! It’s not nearly as fast as before, about .4lbs (.18kg) per week on average, but dammit it’s still happening and I am so happy. I’m just living my life but with some new habits and some broken bad habits and it’s fricken working still. I feel amazing. Photos show how much I’ve changed shape, clothes highlight my new shape and size. I am fitting into pants I haven't worn in years and buying new clothes that are in shockingly small sizes for me.

Next Up: Keeping it up, maybe another concerted effort?

I am really happy with my current weight, despite wanting to lose more/thinking I will feel better and more myself at a lower weight. I am also loving the running and the running gains I am making while eating a non-strict diet amount of calories. I want to do another push to try and lose another 10 lbs or so at a faster rate, but I am also feeling low pressure since what I am doing now is working and my body feels healthier and better than ever.

submitted by /u/beachgirl_weightloss
[link] [comments]

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