Friday, June 30, 2023

"Sick looks good on you"

40m here. Starting weight was 270lbs at 6'3" in January of 2023 when I joined this sub, started tracking food and calories, and began to tackle my lifelong weight problem.

Throughout my adult life my weight has fluctuated between about 225 and 260. Last winter it got up to 270, and with the 40yr birthday, a GERD diagnosis, and a slow-to-heal knee injury I finally decided I'd had enough of being overweight and unhealthy. I began my CICO journey.

I burned through the first 20 pounds in just over a month, and slowed down to a healthier pace trying to focus on strength at the same time by adding more protein and exercise. By the end of May I was down to about 235-240, and feeling pretty good about it.

Then a few weeks ago I got sick. It started as gastro symptoms and just kept getting worse. I've been to the doctor a few times and they're testing for the usual scary things that 40+ men get tested for when they have bowel problems. I've been quite unwell and have been losing weight at an alarming rate. It's been uncomfortable to eat, and I'm not retaining food at all.

As of Thursday I'm down to 213 lbs, the lightest I've been since I was a teenager.

And all of a sudden the compliments are pouring in, and it's messing with my head. People keep telling me how good I look. Some knew I've been working to lose weight, but not everyone. One of my best friends even said, when I told her I had been sick, "well sick looks good on you!". I know she was nervously joking, but I can't get it out of my head.

It's so bizarre how I'm processing it. On one hand I know I'm Ill. I'm weak and tired and in pain. I'm at risk of major things right now. But somehow I still want to go show my skinny self around. It took getting properly ill to look like this, and the world is praising me for it.

I guess I'm just kind of ranting. I have so many mixed feelings about this. I'm scared about my health, but also excited to pick up where I am and get back to being healthy with a little head start to losing fat.

Am I crazy? Has anyone else been through the mental mess of being happy about illness weight loss?

TL/DR: lost some weight in a healthy way, but then got sick and lost 25 pounds in 3 weeks and the world is praising me for it.

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8 Healthy Dessert Recipes Perfect for July 4th

Declare your independence from diet-destroying desserts, and give these healthy dessert recipes featuring a red, white and blue twist a try. Each one features fresh, seasonal fruit and a few other easy ingredients. And while they make a perfectly themed treat to bring to patriotic parties and barbecues, these healthy dessert recipes are way too good to be confined to just one day of the year!

Try these healthy dessert recipes any day you’re craving a little All-American treat:

1. American Flag Fruit Tray >

American Flag Fruit Tray

This patriotic platter might look like an ordinary fruit tray. However, there are few small details that make this simple recipe special. From white chocolate dipped bananas to the five different types of fruit, our American Flag Fruit Tray is the perfect addition to your Fourth of July festivities. Click here for the recipe >

2. 5-Ingredient Patriotic Cheesecake >

5-Ingredient Patriotic Cheesecake

Celebrate freedom free of guilt! Fourth of July is right around the corner and light and fluffy cheesecake is on the menu. Using just five simple ingredients, you can create  this quick and easy holiday dessert recipe that fits into your weight loss menu. Get the recipe >

3. All-American Festive Flag Crackers >

Festive Flag Crackers are the perfect healthy snack to serve at your patriotic parties. Featuring graham crackers topped with fat-free cream cheese and fresh, seasonal berries, they’re packed with nutrition… and flavor! Click here for the recipe >

4. Red, White & Blue Dessert Cups >

Red-White-and-Blue-Jello

This Red White and Blue Pudding Cup is delicious and patriotic all at the same time. It’s got flavored gelatin, whipped topping and sweet, seasonal blueberries… the perfect flavor and color combo! Click here to get the recipe >

5. 3-Ingredient Patriotic Popsicles >

Patriotic Red White Blue Popsicles

Not every popsicle has to be bad for your diet! These Patriotic Popsicles are festive, tasty and guilt-free. Featuring just two types of berries and some non-fat Greek yogurt, these tasty treats are as easy to make as they are to eat! Get the recipe here >

6. Red, White and Blueberry Pancakes >

pancakes

Although technically not dessert, these Red, White and Blueberry Pancakes are the perfect treat for Independence Day! Featuring Vanilla Nutrisystem Shake Mix and a few other simple ingredients, these tasty pancakes count as one SmartCarb and one-and-a-half PowerFuels, so you can choose whether they fit in your day as a breakfast or a dessert! Click here to get the recipe >

7. American Flag Fruit Kebabs >

healthy dessert recipes

Liven up your Fourth of July menu with some refreshing, delicious (and Nutrisystem-approved!) American Flag Fruit Kebabs. It doesn’t get more patriotic and healthy as this. Not a grape fan? Sub in blueberries! Prefer raspberries over strawberries? Swap them out! The possibilities to create this patriotic treat are endless—so, cool down this Fourth of July with some fresh and festive fruit! Get the recipe here >

8. Patriotic Booze-Free Sangria >

Patriotic Booze-Free Sangria

Sip on a fruity, flavorful and festive beverage this holiday! Our healthy sangria recipe is free of booze but filled with delicious fruit like strawberries, blueberries and green apples. Get the recipe here >

The post 8 Healthy Dessert Recipes Perfect for July 4th appeared first on The Leaf.



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How much more to lose before considering surgery

https://imgur.com/a/8GXyQPp

So backstory, I was pregnant, gave birth December 2021. (235lb) I had gained 100 pounds during this pregnancy. I started my weight loss journey November 2022 (180 with 44% body fat) currently I am at 144 pounds at 25% body fat, that being said I was hoping someone could give me some hope that my belly will shrink, I know I will need surgery at some point but I can’t afford it right now while trying to find a house. I was wondering how much I needed to lose before considering surgery.

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Thursday, June 29, 2023

Planning to try out weight training for weight loss. Things to keep in mind/ general advice appreciated.

22M, 5’11, 98 KG.

I have experience with weight loss. About 2 years ago I reduced my weight from 110 KG to 87 KG from just yoga (in the mornings) and a bit of running/jogging (45 minutes in the evening). I was also following a restrictive diet with the help of a health nutritionist (IF (8 PM-12PM next day) along with balanced meals in lunch and dinner).

I put on weight in the past year due to some personal reasons (went to 101 KG last month), and now I’ve started to get back on track to lose back that weight, and signed up with the same nutritionist.

What I noticed during my last weight loss journey was that I had a lot of loose skin and even though I lost a lot of weight, I didn’t look fit at all. So I want to build muscle while I also lose weight.

So I want to know how much does lifting or weight training in my case? I’m planning to do weight training in the mornings during my IF, and do some running in the evenings like I did earlier. What are your thoughts on my plan and what are some tips or tricks I could use in my plan?

Some do’s and don’t’s are appreciated.

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Losing weight with mental health issues

I 21F am about 170lbs. I had an eating disorder a couple years ago and my lowest weight was 125lbs. Since my recovery I have gained a huge amount of weight and am now the largest I've ever been (-10lbs of recent weight loss). Anyways, I have been struggling to lose weight because of my mental health. I am bipolar and I tend to eat excessively during my depressive states and eat too little during my manic states. I keep gaining and losing the same 5lbs. I try to exercise consistently but when my depression gets bad enough I can't even get out of bed let alone get to the gym. I am not sure what I can do to help myself be more consistent and get to a healthy weight. Any advice?

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Negative side effects of calorie deficit?

Am I too hungry? How do other people feel when they’re in a calorie deficit?

These are the questions I find myself asking all the time, and I can’t get a clear answer on.

I’m finally working on losing covid weight this year, and for the first few months I was pretty loosey-goosey with calories, with varying levels of success. About 4 months in, my weight loss stalled, and so for the month of June I decided to get really strict about the whole thing. As a female at 5’10, 193lbs, and moderately(ish) active, I’ve been eating an average of 1800 calories a day, and I’ve lost just under pound a week over these last 4 weeks. If that data is telling me anything, that means I am only in a ~500 calorie deficit, which should be relatively easy on my body. Thing is, it feels really, really bad.

I am constantly exhausted, I am so foggy/spacey I can barely think, I’m always cold, anxiety is through the roof, and I’ve recently developed headaches that last most of the afternoon. In the beginning I was also experiencing some pretty gnarly hunger and insomnia, but those have basically gone away now. I’ve never heard of someone on such a minimal deficit having such problems.

I’m just wondering if maybe some people’s bodies are just predisposed to being over-reactive to calorie deficits, and I’d like to get some insight about what other people experience while in a calorie deficit, and if it’s easier/the same as/harder than what I’ve been experiencing myself.

Also any tips (that aren’t caffeine related) would be helpful because I’m dying out here.

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How does someone who has never exercised before get in a routine of exercising?

I (F18) started my weight loss journey in early May weighing in at about 183lbs. It was the most I had ever weighed before and I felt disgusted with myself. For a long time, I had kept a consistent weight of about 145-155lbs (which is my ideal weight), but I had some really traumatic things happen to me in a short span of time that had caused me to eat for comfort. I would eat McDonald’s every day for weeks, sometimes I would eat McDonald’s and Dairy Queen in the same day. I’m talking like a quarter pounder + a 10pc + a cheeseburger and then for dessert a medium blizzard. I would rack up to about 2800 calories a day, a ton of carbs, fat, everything in between. Since May I’ve EXTREMELY limited fast food because that was a big problem for me. I’ll usually have it every other weekend and only have something smaller like a 6pc that would still keep me in my calories deficit. It’s definitely not perfect still, but it works for me. I currently have a calorie deficit of about 1300 calories and since May I’ve already gotten down to 174lbs. Lowering my serving sizes, drinking more water, and limiting fast food has really been helpful to me, but I wanted to start another healthy habit like exercising! I’ve never exercised before in my life regularly and I wanted to start incorporating it into my daily routine. I would love some tips from this community to get started or exercises that are beginner-friendly/not crazy strenuous that would help me in my weight loss journey! :-)

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Building muscle while losing fat is the toughest thing for me and i need help

I 20m, have been going through a weight loss journey for quite a while. In high school in my senior year, i was 350 pounds. A couple of months down the road and i go down to 220. During that time, i really didn’t lift much and did a lot of cardio, i realized though that i killed a lot of my muscles and not so much of fat. A couple of more months down the road and now we are here. I weighed myself and i saw i was 275.

I started to go back to the gym on saturday, went back sunday and saw lots of progress, already down to 266. I started to take creatine because i want to gain more muscles and i took 3 days off of the gym because my arms were literally dead those days. Stepped on the scale 5 minutes ago and i’m back to 274.6.

What the fuck happened? It seems so difficult to do both. I know muscle mass weighs more than fat but within 3 days, i did not gain 8 pounds of muscle mass. I understand creatine can also keep water in you and goes to your muscles which is nice but i heard it takes roughly a month for any real effects to start showing up. What did i do wrong?

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Slow and Steady Wins

5’8” Female - SW: 167 - GW: 130 - CW: 149

Hi everyone! I’m in the boat of not being technically overweight, but not happy with my weight and wanting to get more fit.

I started my weight loss in February. That first month was a whirlwind - upping my exercise and cutting back sugar had me drop 9 pounds.

I made my calorie deficit less severe in March, feeling Feb pace was not sustainable. Lost 6 pounds.

I basically took April and May off. No counting calories, no extra effort into exercising, nothing. I ate Ben & Jerry’s ffs. But I know made smarter decisions just by habit. I was naturally more active because I had been more active recently. And I ended up losing 2 pounds.

Now that I’m back on the wagon for June, I’m taking it easy like March but being more conscious of my diet. I’ve finally hit the 140s, which I haven’t been in for a long time, and it’s super motivating!

I guess the point is you can take breaks, have the ice cream, enjoy life, and still stay in a general downward trend as long as the majority of your food decisions are good. The best part is it doesn’t feel like a constant exhausting slog - just a nice stroll. Good luck out there!

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Wednesday, June 28, 2023

Does fat get jiggly during weight loss?

I’ve lost about 45 pounds and now my fat is jiggly and moves around. Is this permanent? I have lost weight and it didn’t use to be like this. I wonder if this is lose skin but idk if it would be jiggly when I move around if it was lose skin rather than jiggly fat…. Idk if something like this has happens to anyone else when they are losing weight…. Will it go away soon it’s ruining my physique and when I punch my stomach jiggles a lot. And I have to take my shirt off for martial arts. I know there are two types of fat one jiggly and one hard so did I lose the hard fat and do I now have the jiggly fat instead. I have also heard that it means you have little muscles so should I try building muscle other than that I have no idea what else I should be doing to stop this….

Sorry if this is wrong place to post

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34 Healthy Shrimp Recipes You Absolutely Need to Try

Shrimp are America’s most popular seafood and for good reason. The shellfish are tender, juicy and mild tasting. They’re easy to cook in minutes and you can enjoy them chilled or warm in many healthy shrimp recipes.

Shrimp also are a smart choice when you’re trying to shed excess weight. A three-ounce serving of shrimp has only 84 calories and less than a gram of total fat, but it fuels you up with 20 grams of protein. It’s considered a PowerFuel on the Nutrisystem weight loss plan.

Whether you desperately seek a satisfying dinner or just love seafood, healthy shrimp recipes are where it’s at. Besides being the most cost-effective way to get your fishy fix, there are so many reasons to love shrimp.

Shrimp are exceptionally versatile, fitting into all kinds of cuisines including Mexican, Asian and Italian. To help you find fresh ways to include shrimp in your diet, we’ve compiled this list of our favorite healthy shrimp recipes.

1. Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Lime Yogurt Sauce >

Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Lime Yogurt Sauce

Give taco night a fresh twist with this Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Lime Yogurt Sauce recipe! Start by soaking succulent shrimp in a marinade spiced to your taste. Put them in soft corn tortillas, thne add a crunchy blend of shredded carrots and cabbage. Top it all with the creamy sauce made with avocado, garlic, jalapeno peppers and Greek yogurt.

2. Cajun Sheet Pan Shrimp Boil >

Cajun Sheet Pan Shrimp and Vegetable Boil

This flavorful Cajun Sheet Pan Shrimp Boil recipe makes a fun meal for a party but it’s so quick and easy to prepare you can serve it on any weekday night. All you do is put shrimp, little potatoes, corn, and bell peppers on a sheet pan, drizzle it with seasoned butter, and bake for about 15 minutes.

3. Shrimp and Spinach Lasagna Rolls >

Shrimp and Spinach Lasagna Rolls

With this Shrimp and Spinach Lasagna Rolls recipe, you can enjoy the many layers of lasagna and stay on track to your weight-loss goal. You get lots of real ricotta and mozzarella cheese along with the shrimp, and the rolls come out pre-portioned so you know just how much to eat.

4. Air Fryer Butterfly Shrimp >

Air Fryer Butterfly Shrimp

With an air fryer, you can enjoy all the pleasures of eating big butterfly shrimp that are crispy on the outside and juicy inside without loading up on excess calories and fats. The process for making this Air Fryer Butterfly Shrimp recipe is quick and easy, and it won’t make a splattered mess of your kitchen.

5. Cauliflower Fried Rice with Shrimp >

Cauliflower Fried Rice with Shrimp

We made a classic takeout dish tastier and healthier by using cauliflower rice (found in the refrigerator or freezer cases at most supermarkets). Then we dial up the flavor with plenty of onions, garlic and ginger. Just add shrimp, your pick of veggies like carrots and snow peas, and as much hot pepper flakes as you like to finish up this Cauliflower Fried Rice with Shrimp recipe.

6. 3-Step Spicy Cantaloupe Melon Gazpacho with Shrimp >

3-Step Spicy Cantaloupe Melon Gazpacho with Shrimp

Gazpacho is a thick and filling chilled soup that you prepare in a food processor or blender—no cooking needed. We make our Spicy Shrimp Cantaloupe Melon Gazpacho recipe with sweet and savory ingredients, including cantaloupe, tomatoes and scallions. It’s topped with fresh shrimp for more flavor and protein.

7. Spicy Grilled Shrimp Salad >

Spicy Grilled Shrimp Salad

Grilling adds a rich, smoky taste to ingredients like pineapple, jalapeno and shrimp. Toss them with mixed greens, avocado and other veggies and you’ve got a Spicy Grilled Shrimp Salad recipe that’s bursting with bold flavors and satisfying textures.

8. 5-Minute Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp with Spicy Apricot Sauce >

5-Minute Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp with Spicy Apricot Sauce

Succulent shrimp with a crispy coconut coating can be a part of your healthy diet when you use our simple recipe and an air fryer. This Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp with Spicy Apricot Sauce recipe will be a hit at a party, but you can whip them up whenever you’re looking for a fresh lunch idea.

9. One-Pot Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Stew >

One-Pot Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Stew

No one will leave the table hungry after eating this hearty dinner that’s brimming with chunks of sausage and lots of shrimp in an extra savory broth. You’ll love that this One-Pot Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Stew recipe is simple to make. Plus, there’s only one pot to clean when you’re done.

10. Garlic Parmesan Shrimp Gnocchi >

Garlic Parmesan Shrimp Gnocchi

Succulent shrimp and tender little gnocchi bathed in a creamy garlic parmesan sauce sounds like the kind of meal that you need to avoid when you’re losing weight. This Garlic Parmesan Shrimp Gnocchi recipe has all the flavor and satisfaction you expect, but it’s approved by the expert dietitians at Nutrisystem so you can enjoy it without worry.

11. Air Fryer Shrimp Cakes >

Air Fryer Shrimp Cakes

This crispy Air Fryer Shrimp Cakes recipe is super easy to make with crunchy breadcrumbs, your choice of spices, and an air fryer. You can enjoy the cakes on salads, in wraps, or as entrees.

12. Grilled Shrimp and Scallop Skewers >

Grilled Shrimp and Scallop Skewers

Dinner just tastes better when it’s cooked over an open flame. Skewers are the simple way to grill healthy ingredients. For this easy Grilled Shrimp and Scallop Skewers recipe, we pair juicy shrimp and scallops with veggies such as bell peppers, zucchini, and onions and flavor them up with garlic and lemon butter sauce.

13. One-Pan Shrimp Pesto Pasta >

One-Pan Shrimp Pesto Pasta

The fresh flavor of pesto turns basic ingredients into a dish that’s lip-smacking delicious in this One-Pan Shrimp Pesto Pasta recipe. We love tossing shrimp, spiralized zucchini noodles and sliced veggies with pesto for a dinner that you can enjoy hot or cold.

14. Shrimp Stuffed Fish >

two Shrimp Stuffed Fish dinner plates

You can use tilapia, flounder or sole to make this elegant dinner. The Shrimp Stuffed Fish recipe looks (and tastes) like a meal you’d order at a fine restaurant, but it’s actually easy to make, even if you don’t have a lot of experience in the kitchen.

15. Shrimp Salad Cocktail Bread >

shrimp salad

The foundation of this Shrimp Salad Cocktail Bread recipe is a creamy, savory shrimp salad you can enjoy in lots of different ways. It’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser when you serve it as an appetizer on rye cocktail bread.

16. 15-Minute Tomato Basil Shrimp >

15-Minute Tomato Basil Shrimp

Tangy tomatoes and succulent shrimp seem to be natural companions. We combine them in this flavorful 15-Minute Tomato Basil Shrimp recipe. All you do is quickly cook the shrimp with onions and garlic, then add your favorite tomato sauce and seasonings.

17. Shrimp Pasta with Garlic Asparagus >

Shrimp Pasta with Garlic Asparagus

This well-balanced meal is both light and filling, and it looks elegant but is so simple to make. The Shrimp Pasta with Garlic Asparagus recipe features bow-tie pasta, fresh asparagus spears and lots of shrimp. It’s flavored with simple ingredients like garlic, lemon, basil and Parmesan cheese.

18. Shrimp Fajita Bowl >

Shrimp-Fajita-Bowl-pic

Your craving for Southwest flavor has met its match with this bowl full of seasoned shrimp, peppers, onions and corn on a bed of brown rice. Top this Shrimp Fajita Bowl recipe with guacamole and you get all the satisfaction of a burrito with far fewer calories.

19. Simple Shrimp and Veggies Foil Packet >

shrimp and veggies

With this Simple Shrimp and Veggies Foil Packet recipe, you can cook a complete and delicious meal wrapped inside a sheet of foil. Fill it up with fresh shrimp, red potatoes and your choice of veggies, such as zucchini and bell peppers. Add spices to taste, then pop the packet into the oven. Dinner done!

20. Shrimp Fra Diavolo >

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

We’ve revised the classic Shrimp Fra Diavolo recipe so you can enjoy its bold flavors while you’re losing weight. You still get sautéed shrimp in a thick and rich tomato sauce served over a heap of pasta, so your tastebuds have to accept no compromise.

21. Sesame Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry >

Sesame-Garlic-Shrimp-Stir-Fry

This Sesame Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry recipe might be the quickest, most satisfying meal you can serve your family. The shrimp is flavored with garlic, ginger and soy sauce, then they’re served with slurp-ready udon noodles.

22. Spicy Shrimp Quesadilla >

Spicy Shrimp Quesadilla

The mild flavor of shrimp is a perfect partner to zesty Southwest flavors in this Spicy Shrimp Quesadilla recipe. We season the seafood with cayenne pepper and chili powder, then pair it with jalapenos, bell peppers and onions. Finally, we add plenty of melted cheese to balance the fiery spices.

23. Tempura Shrimp and Vegetables >

Tempura Shrimp and Vegetables

Here’s how you can enjoy Asian-style shrimp and vegetables with a crispy coating while you’re losing weight. Our Tempura Shrimp and Vegetables recipe is quick and easy to make, and we even include a simple dipping sauce with sriracha for a hint of flavorful heat.

24. Tropical Shrimp Salad with Lemon Herb Dressing >

Tropical Shrimp Salad with Lemon Herb Dressing

Give your salad a taste of the tropics with pineapple, mango, coconut and macadamia nuts, along with grilled shrimp. A light dressing made with lemon juice and thyme adds an extra sunny flavor to this Tropical Shrimp Salad recipe.

25. Spinach Stuffed Mussels and Shrimp >

Spinach-Stuffed-Mussels-and-Shrimp

Like shrimp, mussels are high in protein and low in fat, and they have a tender texture and a light briny taste. With this Spinach Stuffed Mussels and Shrimp recipe, the two kinds of shellfish are bathed in a rich tomato sauce with garlicky sauteed spinach. It is all served over whole wheat spaghetti for a balanced dinner.

26. Tropical Shrimp Taco Bowl >

Tropical Shrimp Taco Bowl

This tasty Tropical Shrimp Taco Bowl recipe checks a lot of boxes. Shrimp with Cajun seasonings. Juicy mango, sweet coconut and spicy jalapeno peppers. Cherry tomatoes and green onions. All served over tender cauliflower rice. It’s a meal that’s perfectly balanced in flavor, texture and nutrition.

27. Sweet Potato and Shrimp Noodle Bowl >

sweet potato noodle bowl with creamy almond butter sauce. healthy pasta recipes

Delicious, satiating and smooth beyond belief, this Sweet Potato and Shrimp Noodle Bowl recipe with creamy almond butter sauce is so delightful you won’t mind eating healthy. Shrimp keeps this dish light, while the almond butter ensures you are still getting that wonderfully satisfying fat. Sweet potatoes up the nutrition of this meal and fill you up with complex carbs.

28. 10-Minute Shrimp Fajitas >

Easy 10-Minute Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas

Have only minutes to spare? We know the feeling. Try this amazing, chili-spiced 10-Minute Shrimp Fajitas recipe. There’s absolutely no way that Mexican takeout could be ready as quickly or be as nutritious as this favorite dinner dish. Bell peppers, onion powder, garlic powder and cumin bring a whole wheat tortilla to life like nothing else. It’s the best of both worlds: Seafood and Mexican cuisine. Make this healthy shrimp recipe after a really late night of work for quick grub, or the next day’s lunch.

29. Shrimp Taco Bites >

Shrimp Taco Bites

This Shrimp Taco Bites recipe will surprise any dinner guest! It’s a fun spin on the seafood option that everyone expects to be paired plain with cocktail sauce. Little baskets made from baked whole wheat tortillas are a creative and easy way to cradle each bite of shrimp with a mouthful of serious flavor. Avocado, pico de gallo and chili powder are just a couple of additions that transform your PowerFuel and SmartCarb serving into something very special.

30. Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Pasta >

shrimp scampi with zucchini pasta

Let’s face it, shrimp scampi is a calorie bomb. Like many Italian dishes, with heavy pasta bases, this meal is not often enjoyed by the health conscious. We are here to tell you that we have the solution. This Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Pasta recipe is a lower-carb take on the shrimp dinner your love. Spiralized zucchini balances out whole wheat spaghetti, while vegetable stock, garlic and lemon juice deliver some serious zest. Fancy dinner for one: Done.

31. Lemon Garlic Shrimp Kebabs >

Lemon Garlic Shrimp Kebabs

Eating with a fork is so last year. Eat your shrimp off of a skewer! This Lemon Garlic Shrimp Kebabs recipe means fewer dishes and less dinner drama. Knowing the right ingredients to make a dish pop, is key here. Just the tasty basics—like basil, thyme, parsley and oregano—and two (we kid you not, two) easy ingredients, and you’re good to go. As far as healthy shrimp recipes go, this one is a keeper for the busy bees.

32. Shrimp Spring Roll with Chili Soy Sauce >

Shrimp Spring Roll with Chili Soy Sauce

Asian flair brought to your shrimp dinner fare. This Shrimp Spring Roll recipe is unique and oh-so-delicious. The chili soy sauce blends so sweetly with soy to season up a rice-paper stuffed masterpiece. Shrimp, cabbage and sprouts may be healthy, but taste is the number one reason to favor this meal. Whether dinner or lunch, you’ll leave the table deeply pleased.

33. Shrimp Cucumber Bites >

Shrimp Cucumber Bites

Shrimp is almost designed to be eaten in bite form. Our Shrimp Cucumber Bites recipe take seconds to throw together because hummus does all of the work for you. Get your water-packed vegetable in, along with some PowerFuel and a little nutrient-dense SmartCarb action. Finished with paprika, you’ll feel like this healthy shrimp recipe was meant for an elegant crowd, but you can have it all to yourself.

34. Creamy Green Gazpacho with Shrimp >

Creamy Green Gazpacho with Shrimp

Soup is healing for the soul, but what good is that if you’re busy burning your tongue as you try to dive in? This Shrimp and Creamy Green Gazpacho recipe is a cool option on a couple of different levels. Easily whipped together in the blender, this healthy shrimp recipe packs an extra punch of protein with nonfat Greek yogurt, satiates with water-dense cucumber and pleases the palate with spices like cilantro and cumin. The only effort expended is cooking the shrimp (for about eight minutes) and your dish in on the table. Use precooked shrimp and this recipe is almost entirely effortless. Too good to be true? We think not.

The post 34 Healthy Shrimp Recipes You Absolutely Need to Try appeared first on The Leaf.



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Lessons and weight loss success from Sobriety and Depression treatment

Howdy folks, wanted to share my story so far.

I celebrated a year of sobriety in January 2023 after drinking a gallon of whiskey and 6 liters of wine a month at the peak of my alcoholism. I gained a lot of weight while I was drinking, topping out at 226lbs. (5 ft 8, M)

I had lost over 50lbs by October 2022, reaching 175lbs. My weight loss would plateau however. Sobriety had greatly improved my life but I was still in a rough place mentally.

I was found myself engaging in addictive behavior with video games, using it as a form of escapism similar to alcohol. I was losing sleep and playing over 40 hrs a week. I wasn’t physically active, smoking half a pack of cigarettes a day, and overall feeling hopeless and lost. Regardless, I maintained my sobriety.

Fast forward to April 2023 and I was prescribed an anti depressant after asking my doctor for help. Its been an incredible game changer for me.

I realized I wasn’t having fun gaming and reduced my play time to about an hour a day, started taking long walks with my partner daily, stopped smoking, and began to engage with hobbies that I had once loved.

My step count tripled from 3k avg daily to over 10k, and as a result of these changes I’ve began to lose weight once again. I’m down 6lbs since I started my medication.

All this to say, if you’re struggling with depression or addiction please ask someone you trust for help. It is out there and you are worth it.

Best of luck.

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Stuck on a maintenance break

Hi all,

So I’m 5’8 and a girl in her 20’s, I reached my largest weight in 2021 due to covid lockdowns + depression and also experienced rapid regaining after going off weight loss meds I’d been prescribed in 2019. I managed to lose 30lbs through 2022, and another 30lbs since the start of this year.

I was kind of burnt out so I decided to take a few maintenance days a bit into June, but that has ended up turning into a three-week maintenance hiatus and I’m not sure about how to slip back into losing weight properly. Does anyone have any advice/experience with restarting after some time off without falling back into eating a lot or giving up/getting burnt out again?

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Tuesday, June 27, 2023

My journey with weight gain & now loss

F22/5’5/183lbs

Near the end of 2021, I noticed I was getting a little thicker. I knew it was likely due to my increased drinking of beer/seltzers, but I didn’t pay any mind to it because I’d never gained a lot of weight before. At that point I was at about 137-138.

It didn’t really hit me until I weighed myself again a few months later in early 2022. I freaked out at the fact that I was coming into the 140s, but again, I did not really do anything about it because of my mental state at the time & just not wanting to accept it.

And from there, the weight just started packing on ultra fast. Only a few months after the freak-out, I was knocking at 170s door. By the end of 2022, I was in the 180s. The weight gain slowed down a bit, but about a month ago I noticed I was approaching 190. I guess that’s what I would call my rock bottom realization moment.

I could not bear to see the angry stretch marks anymore, I could not bear to watch myself sink further into the depression that is only made worse by the weight gain, and I sure as fuck wasn’t going to have to go through buying a new wardrobe ~again~

For the past few weeks, I have been counting. And by counting, yes I mean calories. From everything I’ve heard, I fully expected my brain to explode (especially because of my obsessive tendencies and anxiety). But no, I’ve just taken a sec before every meal or drink to see what I’m getting into — logging it, and then using that as a way to learn how to budget out my calories better for the coming days. From there, I’ve entered at about a 500-700 deficit to what I used to eat. Still not at the ideal deficit for weight loss, but I figure easing into it is better than rushing my body.

Over the course of this process, I’ve dropped 6 pounds. To say that I’d been drinking and eating in a huge surplus (and not really realizing it) is a vast understatement. My drinking is still an issue, but I’m tackling that as we speak by getting on naltrexone under my psychiatrist’s supervision and guidance.

I don’t know, I’m just proud of myself. I rarely allow myself to become passionate or inspired about things that can help me, so I usually just wallow in the misery. I can’t wait to see where this goes, and I’m excited to not feel like my own prisoner anymore. Hopefully.

ETA: Just wanted to say that I do not think going into a deficit is always an easy thing, or that I don’t think others genuinely do struggle with it. I am sure I’ll encounter bumps along the road, and things will probably become more difficult at some point. We’ll see I guess.

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When did people start noticing your weight loss?

This isn’t the first time I’ve lost weight. A few years ago I went from 230lbs down to 162lbs. I thought my weight loss would’ve been noticeable after 20lbs or so, but it wasn’t until I was about 165lbs that people started to compliment me. That’s a whole 60lbs difference for others to see the change in me 🥲

After gaining it all back, I’m now back to square one and even though I’ve lost almost 40lbs, no one has said anything, BUT I now know when people will notice again due to that past experience, so I’m not too bummed

When did people notice your weight loss and how was it?

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20lbs in 60days

Started my weight loss journey, again, back in March. Starting weight this time 301. I did a lot of cardio and calorie counting and dropped 33 pounds between March and May. June wasn't the best, I maintained but didn't really lose anything.

I have an upcoming vacation in 60~ days and I've decided to challenge myself to lose 20 pounds in 60 days! I need some sort of accountability to keep going so I've decided to post daily updates!

Day 1 of 60

SW: 266

CW: 266

60 day goal: 245

Daily steps: 12,598

Treadmil miles: 3

60 Day weight loss total: 0

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Celebrating achieving the lowest weight Ive been in over 10 years reaching Onederland and getting closer to my goals

It’s been such a long road to get to this point, I feel like I could cry. Mostly happy tears though. On the top of the combined screenshot is my MFP progress graph from the start of my current weight loss journey, and on the bottom is the graph with all the data MFP had. It goes back to May 2013, but I used MFP before this, even back in high school, but that data is gone for whatever reason, but I digress.

You may wonder, “Why were you weighing yourself and logging it so frequently if your weight just kept going up?” The answer is because despite all the challenges I’ve faced in life, some part of me is still an eternal optimist and always believed that “Today is the day I take control of my weight, and get serious about weight loss”, so most of those were either “Day 1 of weight loss” measurements, or follow-on measurements of short-lived weight loss journeys that usually lasted about a week or so.

Honestly I don’t know the number of weight loss journeys I’ve been on at this point, it’s probably dozens. I’ve either been on one, or taking a break since senior year of high school, but I am happy to say that come hell or high water, this will be the last. When I do ultimately reach my goal of ~10% body fat, I’ll switch to maintenance, and plan to still track calories, weigh myself regularly but less often probably.

More details for the curious, but there were 2 “phases”. The first was last June when I attempted a version of One Meal A Day, and achieved about 10 lbs of weight loss. I wasn’t calorie counting though, fell off the wagon, and eventually gained back about 5 lbs.

The second phase is when I read about the Mediterranean Diet and the decades of research (since the 60’s!) showing how beneficial it is in various ways. Fun fact, it isn’t a weight loss diet (though most people do lose some weight) but a longevity and heart/overall health diet originally based off the traditional diet of Crete. Also it’s very flexible for different cuisines and palates, which is why I see myself sticking with it in the long term. Since the MD isn’t a weight loss diet, I had to count calories, no surprise there. My goal has been 2 lbs per week of weight loss. Food scales have been SO helpful with this btw.

For those who looked closely, the graph is very spiky because I weigh myself (nearly) everyday. That’s what works for me, but everyone’s got a different rhythm that works for them. Also there’s a couple of places where my weight drops quickly in the graph and then plateaus for a bit, and that is because I got sick a few times over the last year. Idk the mechanisms involved, but it all seemed to even out to about 2 lbs a week of weight loss in the end so.. 🤷

Stats and goals: - 6’5 (195 cm), 34 yr old man - SW: 265 lbs (120.2 kg) - CW: 198.4 lbs (90 kg), 19.4% bf per bathroom scale, 16.6% per calipers (I’ll get a more accurate estimate next week at a fitness assessment in my gym) - GW: ~10% body fat, not a specific weight.

https://imgur.com/a/IIWN0Zv

Long post, but thanks for reading if you did! Wish you all the best of luck with your goals whatever they are!

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Monday, June 26, 2023

In a good groove

Anyone else just feel like you've hit or are in a good groove with weight loss? Like many of you, I'm someone who's been losing and gaining weight my whole life but I finally feel a sense of peace and sustainability with it for the first time in my life. I'm at a weight and activity level where as long as I eat under 2000 calories per day, I'm losing weight and I've been finding it weirdly easy to stay at 1600-1700 calories daily. I've been counting for about a month and a half now and already lost 10 pounds! My goal is to lose 50 total in order to reach a healthy BMI so 40 more to go. It just feels so awesome reaching a point where you calculate your calories for a meal (I cook a lot so use MFP to put in all the ingredients in the recipe) and put it in and go "wow I get to eat all this amazing food and feel good and still lose weight?!". I've been having creamer in my coffee, takeout, still eating candy, etc but just feel like I've finally reached the point of balance in my life where I can just have a bite or a smaller portion of something and be happy and still have maintenance or slightly over days and feel good about that too and still be losing. I know weight loss can feel like a struggle a lot of the time but I'm just really enjoying how easy, effortless (besides constantly weighing things haha) and well this is going! Anyone else in the same boat? :) And for anyone who's not, it's possible to get there!!

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I don't know how I did it.

I honestly don't know,time went too quickly.

I don't realize how I managed to get here,I honestly didn't have it in me.

I have been working consistently on my weight loss for 237days and I'm actually towards the end.

I don't know how I actually stuck to it. What was that about that specific day that made me so determined.

How did time go so fast?How have I managed to come so far?

Just 2kg away from my goal weight,2kg away from never being attacked about my weight,where nobody can EVER make a comment about it again.

My advice to anyone wanting to change,don't wait,the sooner you start,the sooner you can look back and get mad for not doing it sooner

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I'm overweight!!!!

And it's a good thing! FINALLY, after literally years of struggling, cycling between hating myself and eating everything in sight because "life is short, I'd rather be fat and happy", I stepped on the scales today and am half a pound into the overweight BMI category.

I've been obese for a painfully long time (university and the pandemic were not kind to me), and last month I decided I'd really had enough this time. I leveraged a period of illness where I wasn't eating much, and stuck with that pattern. I'm sticking to recommended portion sizes, stopping eating when I'm full rather than forcing it down, and reaching for apples instead of chocolate bars.

Exactly a month later, and I'm down 16lbs. I feel like my relationship with food is much better, and I've had absolutely no urge to binge eat, which is unheard of for me. I'm a little cross that I could've been doing this the entire time, but I get such a feeling of satisfaction every time I step on the scale and see the number's gone down. I even pulled on my jeans today and couldn't figure out why they felt different, until I clocked that I didn't have to pull them hard to button them up, they just went on.

I don't notice a visual difference yet, looking in the mirror, but I'm guessing that'll come with time. I just feel like my whole attitude and mindset has changed.

This is the first weight loss journey I've been on where I've not counted calories at all. Sure, I'm more mindful of them and will choose a lower calorie option over a higher one, but I'm not keeping track. Every time I have, I've become obsessed with weighing every single thing I eat, and spending ages obsessing over finding the 'right' calorie count for homemade meals. I figured that wasn't working for me, so while it might be controversial, I've ditched logging altogether - and it's working for me. I feel so much less guilt about eating 'bad' foods, and as a result feel no need to binge them.

Idk you guys, it just feels like a switch has flipped.

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Please help me understand TDEE numbers

Hi,

Why does a TDEE give me different calories for weight loss depending on my different weight?

Just to preface: I understand that eating more = gaining weight. That's not what I don't understand. What I don't understand is why the number for weight loss is different for two different body weights?

So here's my stats:

27 F 172 cm 139 kg

Into a TDEE calculator it says: Mild weight loss: 2,253 Weight loss: 2,103 Extreme weight loss: 1,603

Now, when I keep it all the same but I change my weight from 139kg to 116kg I get:

Mild weight loss: 2,077 Weight loss: 1,827 Extreme weight loss: 1,327

Now, I currently eat at 1,827 calories a day (I'm still at 139kg body weight). When I eat at 2,103 then it maintains my weight but I don't lose weight even though according to the TDEE calculator's and app's that's how much I should be eating to lose weight at my current, heavier body weight.

Please note I chose "sedentary: little or no exercise" for both options.

Apologies if my question seems obvious or stupid. I've been eating at 2,103 calories for the last 5 months and I've only maintained, not lost anything scale-wise. I have gained muscle and lost some centimetres (23 -is) but the scale number hasn't dropped.

However before COVID I was loosing weight and I was 116kg back then. When I ate at around 1800 the weight made a decent move of about 1 - 2kg a month and I got down to 105kg.

Thanks for any help in advance 😸

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Is it normal for weight loss to start slowing down after a few months?

Hello everybody, I have been trying to lose weight for around 7 months now. While my progress was somewhat slow in the first month, it drastically sped up after the second one. For context, here are my averages per month.

December: 81.6 kg.
January: 81kg (0.6 kg change).
February: 80.4 kg (0.6kg change).
March: 79 kg (1.4 kg change).
April: 76.6 kg (2.4 kg change).
May: 75.1 kg (1.5 kg change).
June: 74.2 kg (0.9 kg change).

As you can see, my weight loss was the greatest around April, but it then slowed down. My main concern is that I will be back to losing almost no weight at all. I’m not sure if this is supposed to be ‘expected’ or if I should change my habits.

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Sunday, June 25, 2023

Stuck despite working out and following CICO: desperately seeking advice.

Hey everyone!

I just wanted to see if anybody had any words of wisdom for someone who’s at their wits end. I’m 27(F), and I’ve been on the cycle of losing and gaining weight for the majority of my life. My highest was 238lbs at 5’4”, and I lost around ~60lbs and gained it back over the years unfortunately.

I started my journey again around 3 months ago when I weighed myself to see I was at the 214lbs ish mark, after a terrible start to the year had me in a funk for months. But I’m having major problems now.

To give some context, I’m following CICO, and I’m doing strength training (45mins) alongside ending with cardio (around 15 to 20 mins) at the gym around 3 times a week minimum. This is on top of walking my dog for half an hour a day, averaging around 7000 steps. I’ve also massively upped my water intake.

I’m down to 198lbs, but the struggle has been insane.

I’m plateauing regularly, unrelated to my cycle (I’ve seen people mention here before! I’ve scoured this sub for advice), and originally I set my calorie intake to 1500, eating more protein. I was stuck at the same weight for almost three weeks before I dropped a pound, and my mental was and still is truly beginning to fail.

I dropped my calories to 1300, still managing to eat protein and it seemed to budge, but then halt again. The only thing I can think of is dropping again, but it seems impossible!

At 1300 I’m exhausted. Going to the gym has become harder since I dropped to it, I’m tired, my skin is breaking out and drying, and I don’t think it’s healthy. But when I went back up to 1500 this week, I gained? I weigh my foods, track every single thing on my fitness pal, and I’m at a loss.

And I’m fairly sure I’m not breaking the laws of thermodynamics or weight loss here. Can anyone spot any faults in what I’m doing because I’m baffled? I’m almost on the verge of seeing my GP for it.

Thanks!

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1 Year Body Transformation - 76lbs Lost - Protocol and Reflections

One year ago, I had completely lost my health. Overweight, burned out, and unhealthy, I set out fully resolved on a journey to completely reset my body and health. I was in a unique position to devote substantial time and resources to this endeavor, and I am writing this post to share my journey and what worked for me in the hopes that it may be useful to others.

Starting stats:

• Height: 6’4”

• Weight: 282lbs

• Bodyfat: 27-28%

• Blood Pressure: 159/92

Current stats:

• Weight: 206lbs

• Bodyfat: 13.5%

• Blood Pressure: 124/70

Background:

I (34M) founded a company seven years ago and ran it as CEO until May of 2022, when I officially retired from my day-to-day role. While this was an incredible and privileged journey, the mental, emotional, and physical costs were very high, and I was deeply burned out on every level. Most critically, I had lost my physical and mental health, and had become obese (282lbs), hypertensive, insulin resistant, and depressed.

For the next six months, I decided to make my health and fitness my full-time job, going deep down many research rabbit holes and committing consistently to a rigorous (though not unreasonable or extreme) exercise program. Once I dialed in my regimen, it took much less effort to stay the course, and I returned to work to begin the process of founding my next company. Here is what I did, and what I believe moved the needle most.

Diet

This journey taught me very clearly that weight loss happens in the kitchen, not the gym.

My spouse and I used a simple app called Lose It! to manage our diet. It allowed us to set a weight loss goal (initially 2lbs/wk), and does the math to set a daily calorie budget that meets the caloric deficit necessary to achieve that. It also syncs with our Apple Watches to feed our exercise calories back into the app and reflect in our weekly calorie budget.

We had previously tried everything – keto, paleo, mostly plant-based vegetarian, and other programs, and none of them drove the profound results we saw from simply tracking our calories and macros.

Because I wanted to both cut fat and build muscle, I optimized my diet for high protein intake (approx. 1g per lb of bodyweight) while still maintaining my necessary caloric deficit. Conventional wisdom says not to try to cut and bulk at the same time, but this diet and training approach absolutely worked for me.

It took some practice to build the reflex of logging everything we ate, but the awareness this built was invaluable, and soon became second nature.

Beyond tracking calories and protein, and eating generally clean foods, I didn’t do anything special or gimmicky. The success of this simple approach made feel a bit silly for buying into so many fad diets over the years, but I’m glad I went back to basics and found something that works.

I also reduced alcohol consumption to a maximum of four drinks per week, which was a hugely positive change that not only made it easier to lose weight, but improved my sleep and mental health in the process. My body no longer enjoys being drunk, and I now drink only lightly and occasionally at social functions.

Exercise

I worked with a personal trainer who specializes in functional mobility. Rather than take a top-down approach focused solely on weight loss and aesthetics, he worked with me to take a bottom-up approach that emphasized healthy body mechanics, restorative spinal mobilization, and a balance of hypertrophy, calisthenics, and endurance training. I saw my trainer three times per week, and did three (lighter) solo workouts on the days in between, taking one day off per week.

This slow and steady approach to building a strong foundation took some time to yield the aesthetic results I wanted, but I felt the positive change in my body and health almost immediately. My workouts were challenging but nothing crazy – crafted to push me just slightly out of my comfort zone each time. I found that this bar rose steadily and quickly with each passing week.

I have maintained this activity level, with 5-6 hours of mixed exercise per week, with an emphasis on resistance training.

We are fortunate to have a nice home gym, but almost everything I did can be done inexpensively at home with bodyweight exercises, a basic set of dumbbells, and a weight bench. I don’t think I will ever “go to the gym” again, as I’ve found the facilities just aren’t necessary. Even when traveling, I stick mostly to bodyweight exercises that I can do easily in my hotel room.

In lieu of a trainer, there are several fitness apps that will customize a routine for you using whatever equipment you have available, including bodyweight-only if you don’t have access to equipment.

Medical

My medical protocol played a huge role in my success, and was the largest focus of my research and investment. Here is what I did:

Hormone optimization: I’ve spent most of my life with testosterone levels in 300-400ng/dl range – technically within the “normal” reference range, but suboptimal. I’ve also struggled with persistently elevated estradiol (estrogen), which I suspect is the result of being a morbidly obese child who went through puberty with a lot of excess bodyfat that biased me toward high aromatization.

I worked with a functional medicine clinic to get my testosterone to an optimal level of about 1100, while getting my estradiol in the 40-50 range, and slightly boosting my suboptimal thyroid levels.

  • After some trial and error, here’s where I landed with my hormone protocol:
    • Testosterone Cypionate: 30mg daily via subcutaneous injection
    • HCG: 500iu EOD (to maintain fertility and testicle size)
    • Anastrazole (aromatase inhibitor): .25mg EOD, later replaced with an equivalent dose of Exemestane, and eventually phased out entirely as I lost bodyfat and my aromatization profile shifted toward clinically normal.
    • T3/T4 Thyroid compound: I started with a low dose of natural Armour thyroid (porcine derived), but had to stop because it was triggering an antibody response. I landed on a compound of synthetic T3/T4 at 18mcg/76mcg.

Fixing my hormones was the biggest health unlock of my life. For the first time ever, instead of fighting my body and metabolism, we finally felt in sync. With consistency, my bodyfat began to melt off while my lean mass increased, and my weight loss (when averaged) tracked almost precisely to what the caloric deficit math said it should.

This protocol also significantly boosted my energy levels and mood, making caffeine or other stimulants less necessary in my routine. My confidence skyrocketed. And while I feared at the beginning that testosterone would make me act like a jerk, the effect was quite the opposite: I’m more positive, outgoing, and kind, albeit slightly less patient and with a decidedly lower tolerance for bullshit. I really like what it did for my mindset and mental health, and love what it did for my body.

In parallel, I also stacked a robust peptide regimen that I think has been transformative for my overall health, metabolism, sleep, and post-workout recovery.

Semaglutide: 1mg/wk via subcutaneous injection. This peptide has been, for me, a miracle drug that completely shut off the background mind chatter that had always encouraged me to snack or binge eat, while allowing me to still eat sufficient calories and protein, and still fully enjoy food when I want to. The shift was that eating became a conscious choice – something I wanted and chose to do – rather than a compulsive behavior that needed to be satisfied. My glucose and A1C also improved from prediabetic to textbook perfect levels.

  • Important notes on Semaglutide: It’s critically important that you eat sufficient protein when on this drug. If you’re not, you will likely lose muscle along with fat, which will leave you in even worse metabolic shape. If you overdo your dose and aren’t paying attention to your diet, it’s very easy to effectively starve yourself on this drug and not realize it. But by tracking my protein (combined with resistance training), my lean muscle mass has steadily risen since starting this drug – as measured and tracked and by DXA scan.
  • I think the pharmaceutical dosing protocols (2.4mg/wk) for this drug are insanely high. My spouse and I titrated up from .25mg/wk (which didn’t do much) to 1mg/wk, where we’ve stayed for the last six months. I’m a 6’4”, 205lb man and this dose is strong for me. Any stronger and I’d struggle to eat enough. My advice is to start with a very small dose and work your way up to the minimum effective dose that works for you.
  • This is still a new drug without the benefit of longterm safety data. While I feel dramatically healthier on it (as confirmed by all reasonable bloodwork and biometric tracking), I think caution and careful monitoring is warranted, and encourage others to be patient in finding the smallest possible dose that works for you.
  • The only side effect I experienced from this drug was mild constipation. I was able to fully counteract this with a nightly dose of an ayurvedic herb called Triphala, which works by stimulating peristalsis (involuntary muscle movement) of the digestive tract.
  • Growth Hormone Secratagogues - Ipamorelin / CJC-1295 – These peptides stimulate growth hormone release from the pituitary gland, enhancing fat loss and muscle growth while improving sleep and recovery. While not as powerful as actual growth hormone, they are much safer and can be taken safely for longer periods. I LOVE these beautiful molecules, and consider them an essential part of my stack.
  • I played with many other peptides and still use several of them, including BPC-157, TB-500, AOD-9064, Tesamorelin, Epithalon, MT-2, PT-141, Selank, Semax, and others. While interesting and useful, I don’t think they played a pivotal role in my body transformation and am omitting detailed commentary. If anyone is interested in a follow up post on these, let me know in the comments or a DM and I’ll considering doing a detailed writeup.
  • Cardarine - 10mg/day - Not a peptide, but this one was immensely helpful. It's a PPAR receptor agonist that biases the body toward burning fat for fuel. It also dramatically enhanced my cardiovascular capacity, allowing me to hit it harder in the gym. Within 30 minutes of taking this, it feels like I have a third lung in the gym. I believe this drug was very powerful in accelerating my weight loss, but was probably not essential in the long term.
    • It is also the riskiest measure in this list due to potential cancer risk. The pharmaceutical company that developed it abandoned it because it caused cancer in test rats. But importantly, they were given large doses well in excess of equivalence to my 10mg dose for more than half of their lives. The safety of this drug is still hotly debated (which you can find ad nauseum on Reddit or Google). I personally think the risk of short term use at reasonable human doses is small, and was ultimately comfortable with the cost/benefit profile or running a few cycles of this drug. But that's my opinion and not medical advice, so please proceed with caution and do your own research to reach an informed conclusion before jumping into it.
  • I did not use any steriods or anabolic compounds beyond testosterone. I have considered doing a doctor-supervised Anavar cycle, but decided it just wasn't necessary given the results I was already seeing without it.

Other Measures

  • Hyperbaric oxygen therapy – 10 (90 minute) dives at 2.2ATA – I don’t think this did much for my body composition, but felt like a reboot for my brain function and mental health, and very notably completely restored my sense of smell, which had been severely diminished nearly two years later after an alpha-strain COVID infection.
  • Stem Cell Therapy – My spouse and I did an expensive course of full body stem cell therapy in Mexico, using placenta derived mesenchymal stem cells. I don’t think this helped much with body composition, but it did completely restore my receding hairline and bald spot, and did wonders for my skin.
  • Cold Plunge - We purchased a cold plunge pool and love it. While I suspect it's providing a slight metabolic boost and improving workout recovery, I don't think it has particularly aided with my weight loss. I LOVE what it does for my energy levels and mood.
  • Sauna -- We have a basic infrared sauna from Costco and I love it. Really helps with post-workout recovery, and I think has also improved my circulation and blood pressure.
  • Tummy tuck – I did this in 2017 to remove excess skin resulting from extreme weight loss in childhood. In fifth grade, I tipped the scales at nearly 300lbs, but lost the weight in high school. After years of maintaining that, I finally got a tummy tuck. While it’s a serious procedure with a difficult recovery, it was life changing. Unfortunately, due to years of chronic stress and anxiety after starting my company, I gained most of that weight back. But fortunately, after this round of weight loss, my skin elasticity has bounced back nicely. It did leave a permanent scar, but that’s vastly preferable to the alternative.

Spousal Alignment

My husband went on this journey with me and had my back every step of the way. His results have been similarly dramatic and transformative.

I’m very fortunate to have a spouse that went on this journey with me, followed a similar diet plan, and was a constant accountability partner (as I was to him) to keep us on track. I think it would have been much harder – and maybe impossible – to do this if my spouse and I weren’t on the same page or wasn’t at minimum, highly supportive.

Conclusion

I’m healthier, happier, and more confident today than at any time in my life. Growing up with childhood obesity leaves deep psychological scars that fundamentally inform self-image. It’s a complete paradigm shift and total head-trip to be at a place – for the first time in my life – where I not only love my body, but feel confident and comfortable within it.

This feels like the end of one fitness journey and the beginning of another. I love my body today and will be perfectly happy if this is it for me, aesthetically or functionally. But now I'm hooked on fitness, and am embarking on a new journey of exploration to learn what is possible with my body, and how far I can go. But this journey feels fundamentally different those past because I'm doing it from a foundation of health, confidence, and self love with my current body (which feels very sustainable to me now that I've cracked my metabolic code). If further progress becomes unsustainable or the cost/risks are too high, I can always come back to where I am how, healthy and confident in my own skin.

I have many other thoughts I wanted to share, and went down a lot of rabbit holes and dead ends before finding the mix that worked for me. While I omitted these thoughts for length, I'm happy to answer questions or expound on request as my schedule allows.

I’m not a medical professional and this post is not medical advice. I’m sharing what worked for me in the hopes that it may be useful for others, but your path and toolset may vary.

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Weight gain was a blessing. Now I can lose it with confidence.

I know this sub usually talks about the advantages and disadvantages that come with weight loss, but I wanted to talk about my experience which has been slightly different.

During my twenties I oscillated between 58-60 kgs at 5'8" and I was fit and toned. People always commented on my body because I enjoyed eating and drinking like a normal person. (No ED and I never binged either but I did eat/ drink whatever I wanted to eat/drink).

Then life happened and things happened. I stopped moving as much as I used to and made takeout my staple. I gained 15 kgs and I hated what I saw in the mirror.

From a Spanish XS I moved onto an L-M. I put my dating life on hold because if I don't love myself I can't expect it from another person.

The cycle carried on for 2-3 years. I didn't like what I saw, but I wasn't ready to do anything about it either.

Then something changed this year. I suddenly accepted myself. I went to the spa and stripped naked in the locker room without feeling shy, I didn't feel any shame when I went to get a massage and was assigned a male masseur. I just didn't care. I was okay with how I looked.

This is something I was never okay with. I know the world saw me as smoking hot (r/mildbrag) but I was just always shy in regards to my body. I never felt comfortable at the beach or at the pool where I felt exposed and felt like all my self made up flaws were on display.

It's simply put liberating. I have lost 9 kgs so far and have 6 kgs to go to get back to my 20's weight but this time I'm actually loving my body. I'm looking forward to wearing the clothes I loved to wear vs the clothes I was wearing to hide my bulges.

I know it sounds insane. I absolutely am NOT saying that I enjoyed my weight gain but I have found a silver lining. Also, I know compared to others my stats and weight gain may seem inconsequential but regardless we all have our own journey and our own stories.

I hope this post helps someone find a silver lining, especially when they need a boost to carry on.

submitted by /u/Greedy_Information96
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Extreme diet fatigue - how to make it feel good again?

23F 5’4 SW: 210lbs+ LW: 115lbs CW: 150lbs

A couple years ago I started my weight loss journey around 210lbs, reached my goal, and sat comfortably between 115-125lbs for a good year.

Since December, I’ve hit a funk and gained 30lbs. I am experiencing extreme fatigue. I used to be in the gym over an hour a day, meal prepping religiously every Sunday, fit and healthy and happy. Now, I feel like an animal, only eating and sleeping.

The gym makes me miserable. I don’t enjoy it anymore and I don’t know how to force myself to. I tried to prevent this by easing down on exercise until I just wasn’t working out at all anymore, and I can’t seem to get back into it.

Food is a huge problem. I’ve become fixated on a handful of foods (frozen pizza/burritos, Chinese takeout, and literally just egg wraps) and I’m finding it extremely hard to deviate from these. I somehow don’t feel “satisfied” unless I have one of these specific foods. If I’m presented with other foods, I usually just wait until I can have what I want. If these foods are unavailable, I will go out of my way to acquire them.

I’ve tried several times to “kick off” my previous weight-loss routine, but it becomes so overwhelming I just give up within a week. I’ve come to absolutely hate everything involved with it - meal prepping, grocery shopping, exercising, it all makes me exhausted to even think about.

It used to feel so good, and it used to make me happy. How do I find the energy again? A few months ago I got a full blood work scan done to make sure nothing was wrong with me and it came back perfect. So I’m assuming it’s something mental. What can I do? I feel so pathetic.

submitted by /u/Kratos5300
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Need help with plateau and rising weight

I really need help with the mental aspect of losing weight and making healthier choices. I am 6' 2" 19 year old male, I currently am in the 260s and using the navy method I have a body fat of about 30%. I started my weight loss journey new years 2021 at 315 lbs, 10 months later I was in 250s, then I plaited for a year and a half, I then went to university where I end freshman year at 240, since being back home mid May I have ballooned up to 20 lbs.

I feel and look disgusting in the mirror, my clothes aren't lose anymore and I am surrounded by so much fat I hate that I undid all my progress. I know how to lose weight, increase calorie output through exercising and to decrease calorie input through a caloric deficit or about 500 or 1000 calories daily and the math says I should lose 2 lb per week. I did strict calorie counting to be around 1,500 calories per day in college and the two pounds per week never worked for me. But being back home I just couldn't make healthier choices, I can't stop eating and allowing myself to eat whenever I want and how much I want. I just need help getting back into the mental state of being motivated and driven to improve my health.

I think a big reason why I was able to make so much progress in the first year was due to the fact that I knew I might wait I was closer to dying of heart disease at a young age and that scared me and put a fire under my butt to lose weight but I got comfortable at 250 lb as I stayed on that weight for a year and a half, and being back home I just can't shut my mouth. What can I do to improve my motivation drive to actually follow through and do healthy choices? I messed up my foot 2 weeks ago and I can't run or walk on it too much or I'll just be an extreme pain and I want to play soccer and basketball with my friends but I can't so I just stay indoors eat and do online classes.

I know I need to fix the issue at hand so I could be in the routine by the time that I go back to University in early August so I could continue to improve but right now I'm just fattening myself and I can't stop I don't know what to do.

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