Success story and ultimate SV: 45 pounds lost in 5 months, 62 pounds lost overall. I did it and you can too!

Sort of an outline of my weight loss journey, feel free to ask questions!

STATS & PICS:

• M/29/5’7” (170 cm)
• Starting Weight --- 212 pounds (96 kg)
• Current Weight --- 150 pounds (68 kg)
• Progress Pic! – shirtless so maybe NSFW?

TIMELINE:

• September 30, 2016 --- highest ever weigh-in at 212 pounds (right around when the before pic was taken)
• July 22, 2018 --- began full commitment to CICO at 195 pounds with an initial GW of 170 pounds
• October 3, 2018 --- reached original GW of 170 pounds in 10 weeks (rate of 2.5 pounds/week) and adjusted ultimate GW to 150 pounds
• Today --- reached ultimate GW of 150 pounds in 22 weeks (rate of 2.1 pounds/week)

METHODS & TOOLS:

• Primary method --- basic CICO (went over my daily goal of 1,750 calories probably twice a week but didn’t stress about it, just rebounded the next day and tried to stay as consistent as possible)
• Monthly average calories consumed --- 1,808 (JUL) --- 1,876 (AUG) --- 1,899 (SEPT) --- 1,816 (OCT) --- 2,077 (NOV) --- 1,831 (DEC)
• Food log/tracker --- Calorie Counter by Fatsecret
• Activity tracker --- Fitbit Flex 2 (actually seemed to pretty closely mirror my TDEE according to the TDEE v3.0 spreadsheet but I basically only used it as a step counter to make sure I was moving enough)
• Exercise – occasional trips to the gym and light jogs around my neighborhood from July through September, picked up swimming in October and now do that once a week as my only exercise outside of walking a fair amount each day

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Compliments (family, friends, clients, pretty much everyone)
• I look much better in pictures, especially in my face
• I feel lighter and I move better, less stress on my joints, sleep is more comfortable, etc.
• I don’t get winded playing with my kids or climbing stairs
• I don’t sweat excessively every time the temperature exceeds 70 degrees
• I don’t drink as much alcohol as before so less hangovers
• Little to no loose skin

LOWLIGHTS:

• Cravings were BAD during the first month of CICO, required lots of mental strength to defeat
• I had to explain to people (mostly family) who worked hard making food for me why I wasn’t eating as much as I used to, I didn’t want to upset anyone
• None of my old clothes fit anymore, buying new clothes is expensive and I hate shopping
• My wedding ring doesn’t fit anymore and needs to be resized, it falls off constantly during normal tasks like taking a shower or doing the dishes
• I’m cold all the time, I didn’t realize how much I would miss my built-in insulation
• I still don’t have my ideal body composition but am getting there slowly, I just wanted to lose the fat first before I focused on that

PLAN FOR MAINTENANCE:

• I’m going to continue tracking like normal with my app, it’s become such a routine for me that I don’t think I can just quit altogether (I don’t really want to quit either, I enjoy tracking)
• I’m switching from daily calorie goal to a weekly goal of 18,200 calories (2,600 average per day), for reference my current TDEE is about 2,700 on average so while I might still be at a deficit it’ll be too small to make a significant difference on the scale
• I’m going to start doing weekly weigh-ins every Friday morning instead of daily weigh-ins
• I’m setting an upper weight limit of 157 pounds for myself, meaning that if I ever see that number I’ll know it’s more than just water weight and that I need to switch back over to deficit mode until I reach my ideal weight range of 148-152 pounds again. Likewise, if I see 145 pounds or under, I’ll up my intake temporarily to get back to my ideal weight range

FINAL THOUGHTS:

• It was definitely hard but it was by far one of the best decisions I’ve ever made for myself
• You CAN defeat cravings, it just takes time for your body to cooperate with your lifestyle changes
• Practicing dietary discipline transitioned well to other areas of my life, like reading more, spending more time with my family, getting plenty of sleep, etc
• My wife lost a ton of weight along with me (purely through intuitive eating and exercise) and it was extremely beneficial to have her support at home, we really propped each other up and helped each other when things became difficult
• I’m a little worried about maintenance, many people say it’s equally as tough as losing but I’m confident that the discipline I’ve learned throughout the last 5 months will help me transition and stay the course

Thanks for reading and thank you to this community for being an outstanding support system for me during all of this. Many of you inspired me to keep pushing no matter what to reach my ultimate goal and I couldn’t be more thankful.

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[Challenge] European Accountability Challenge: December 20th

Hi losers and maintainers, how are you doing? Anyone got any tips to make any aspect of weight loss or healthy eating or exercise easier? Mine is to use huge cups if you want to drink enough water. I got a bunch of pint glasses and between those and my 1L water bottle it’s pretty easy to drink 2L or more each day. When we were staying with friends the other day they only had teeny tiny glasses and I struggled to drink enough. Good luck with your goals today!

 

For anyone new who wants to join today, this is a daily post where you can track your goals, keep yourself accountable, get support and have a chat with friendly people at times that are convenient for European time zones. Check in daily, weekly, or whatever works best for you. Anyone and everyone is welcome! Tell us about yourself and your goals and join us already :) And it's all more fun when you comment on each other's posts, so let's encourage each other too!

And on to the accountability part...how's your day going? Let us know how you're getting on with your goals, if you have any questions, need to vent, have a SV or NSV to share, etc. And feel free to just have a chat about how your day went! We got this :D

 

I’ll start: I have an appointment at noon and one this evening, not sure what my plan is going to be yet today besides going to those. My brother in law has asked for something Dutch for Christmas so I might look around for that. Have a great day everyone!

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Introducing Our Brand New FreshStart™ Shakes

Simple to prep: check! Easy for on-the-go: absolutely! And the perfect choice when you need a little something sweet and healthy to satisfy a grumbling belly. If that’s not reason enough to try our new FreshStart shakes, then keep reading to find out all the reasons why these protein-packed super shakes are a must-try!

They’re decadent and delicious. Whether you live in the all-chocolate, all-the-time camp, or are more of a flavor purist, these shakes are made to please. With the chocolate FreshStart Shake , you get rich and fudgy in every sip; or opt for the vanilla FreshStart Shake for some smooth and creamy goodness. Or if you want to flip-flop between flavors, go for full indulgence with this combo pack.

They help shrink your belly. That’s because FreshStart Shakes contain probiotics—good bacteria that help your digestive system do its job. The added bonus of probiotics: less belly bloating.
And they help burn fat! You read that right. FreshStart shakes are made with a compound called chromium, which has been shown to help reduce body fat, as part of a healthy diet and exercise program.*

How to Lose 10 Pounds in a Month* with the FreshStart Program

Read More

They’re also packed with powerful nutrition. You get 23 vitamins and minerals per sip, to be specific. What you won’t get in a FreshStart Shake: artificial sweeteners, flavors, soy or gluten. And they help fight hunger. With a whopping 15 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber, these shakes are formulated to help keep you feeling fuller, longer. Plus, they are perfectly portioned for weight loss, with only 120 calories per serving. On Nutrisystem, a FreshStart Shake counts as one PowerFuel.

Now, check out eight recipes that pack in the protein (and flavor!) with our FreshStart Shakes:

1. Black Forest “Milkshake” >

Filled with chocolatey flavors and complemented by a hint of cherry, this Black Forest “Milkshake” is the perfect protein-filled pick to start your day the healthy way.

2. Berry Delicious Smoothie >

This filling shake combines the flavors of berries and banana with a vanilla FreshStart Shake for a refreshing and filling smoothie so sweet and delicious, you’ll want to make it over and over again.

3. Pumpkin Latte Super Shake >

If you’re a pumpkin lover, you’re going to want to bookmark this recipe. Filled with pumpkin flavor and blended to creamy perfection thanks to a FreshStart Shake, this latte-inspired smoothie packs in the vitamins and deliciousness for a pumpkin-filled breakfast.

4. Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie >

Chocolate and peanut butter is a classic combo, and this shake adds in a hint of banana to make this protein-packed shake a must-try for those on-the-go mornings.

5. Mango Madness Green Smoothie >

Filled with greens and sweet mango, this fruity smoothie will you up the Nutrisystem-approved way thanks to a FreshStart Shake.

6. Mint Chocolate Smoothie >

If mint chocolate chip is your favorite ice cream, then we’ve got the perfect (and healthy!) alternative that you can enjoy guilt free. Packed with protein, chocolate and minty flavors, this hearty shake is bound to become a menu regular.

7. Piña Colada Protein Smoothie >

This sweet and fruity smoothie will whisk you away to tropical bliss with zero guilt. A combination of pineapple, coconut and a Vanilla FreshStart Shake makes for a creamy protein shake that will keep you feeling full all morning.

8. Chocolate Lover Smoothie >

This recipe is a chocolate lover’s dream come true—filled with chocolate and a scoop of peanut butter, this four-ingredient recipe is a healthy way to curb your chocolate cravings.

*As part of a healthy diet and exercise program.

The post Introducing Our Brand New FreshStart™ Shakes appeared first on The Leaf.

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Day 1? Starting your weight loss journey on Thursday, 20 December 2018? Start here!

Today is your Day 1?

Welcome to r/Loseit!

So you aren’t sure of how to start? Don’t worry! “How do I get started?” is our most asked question. r/Loseit has helped our users lose over 1,000,000 recorded pounds and these are the steps that we’ve found most useful for getting started.

Why you’re overweight

Our bodies are amazing (yes, yours too!). In order to survive before supermarkets, we had to be able to store energy to get us through lean times, we store this energy as adipose fat tissue. If you put more energy into your body than it needs, it stores it, for (potential) later use. When you put in less than it needs, it uses the stored energy. The more energy you have stored, the more overweight you are. The trick is to get your body to use the stored energy, which can only be done if you give it less energy than it needs, consistently.

Before You Start

The very first step is calculating your calorie needs. You can do that HERE. This will give you an approximation of your calorie needs for the day. The next step is to figure how quickly you want to lose the fat. One pound of fat is equal to 3500 calories. So to lose 1 pound of fat per week you will need to consume 500 calories less than your TDEE (daily calorie needs from the link above). 750 calories less will result in 1.5 pounds and 1000 calories is an aggressive 2 pounds per week.

Tracking

Here is where it begins to resemble work. The most efficient way to lose the weight you desire is to track your calorie intake. This has gotten much simpler over the years and today it can be done right from your smartphone or computer. r/loseit recommends an app like MyFitnessPal, Loseit! (unaffiliated), or Cronometer. Create an account and be honest with it about your current stats, activities, and goals. This is your tracker and no one else needs to see it so don’t cheat the numbers. You’ll find large user created databases that make logging and tracking your food and drinks easy with just the tap of the screen or the push of a button. We also highly recommend the use of a digital kitchen scale for accuracy. Knowing how much of what you're eating is more important than what you're eating. Why? This may explain it.

Creating Your Deficit

How do you create a deficit? This is up to you. r/loseit has a few recommendations but ultimately that decision is yours. There is no perfect diet for everyone. There is a perfect diet for you and you can create it. You can eat less of exactly what you eat now. If you like pizza you can have pizza. Have 2 slices instead of 4. You can try lower calorie replacements for calorie dense foods. Some of the communities favorites are cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash in place of their more calorie rich cousins. If it appeals to you an entire dietary change like Keto, Paleo, Vegetarian.

The most important thing to remember is that this selection of foods works for you. Sustainability is the key to long term weight management success. If you hate what you’re eating you won’t stick to it.

Exercise

Is NOT mandatory. You can lose fat and create a deficit through diet alone. There is no requirement of exercise to lose weight.

It has it’s own benefits though. You will burn extra calories. Exercise is shown to be beneficial to mental health and creates an endorphin rush as well. It makes people feel awesome and has been linked to higher rates of long term success when physical activity is included in lifestyle changes.

Crawl, Walk, Run

It can seem like one needs to make a 180 degree course correction to find success. That isn’t necessarily true. Many of our users find that creating small initial changes that build a foundation allows them to progress forward in even, sustained, increments.

Acceptance

You will struggle. We have all struggled. This is natural. There is no tip or trick to get through this though. We encourage you to recognize why you are struggling and forgive yourself for whatever reason that may be. If you overindulged at your last meal that is ok. You can resolve to make the next meal better.

Do not let the pursuit of perfect get in the way of progress. We don’t need perfect. We just want better.

Additional resources

Now you’re ready to do this. Here are more details, that may help you refine your plan.

• Quick Start Guide - Build your foundation!
• Loseit Compendium - Frame it out!
• FAQ - Answers to our most Frequently Asked Questions!

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Wake Up Call

This is my first time posting in this community mostly because I felt like this group could help keep me accountable. Here's the deal: I'm 22, 5'3 and weigh the most I ever have in my entire life. This morning I weighed 187.6 pounds and was completely horrified. This semester I literally gained 20 pounds. I think what is the most frustrating is that I don't look nearly 200 pounds. As I said, I was totally horrified and I think I have finally gotten it through my head that I need to make a change because I haven't been happy with myself in a long time.

My biggest struggle with weight loss is holding myself accountable and finding something that works. Last fall I lost 15 pounds on WW, but I'm trying calorie counting and a lot of cardio. I really don't know what works for me and have even considered IF.

The bottom line is that I hope I will be able to hold myself accountable with this group and will able to finally make the change I've always wanted.

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NSV: I ran 2 miles today!

Sorry for the long post, I've never been brief with my words.

I've always hated running. I have known I have asthma since I was very little and I used to use it as an excuse for myself and others that I couldn't keep running for very long. Even in school P.E. when we had to do a timed mile, I never ran the whole time.

The first time I lost weight I would use the elliptical and stair master to do my exercise. Once or twice since then I made myself do a full mile to finally just prove I could do it. And I realized I could, but I really just didn't want to. I can get into a rhythm of panting and heavy steps and be okay but everything in my mind is just like, "Okay, can we stop now? Why are we still doing this?"

So on this new bout of weight loss, I decided I was going to finally just say f it and learn to get in to running. I've been using the C25K app and it really is a great program to improve your distance running, but on Week 5 Day 3 it jumps from two 8 minute runs to one full 20 minute (or two mile) run.

And by God, I did it. I RAN FOR 2 MILES STRAIGHT. I DID IT. I ran twice as long as my previous best. I'm going to have to repeat it because it was so shitty and the goal is a 5k (3.1 miles) and there are 3 more weeks in the app but I needed to celebrate this and share it with someone.

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[Daily Directory] Find your quests for the day here! - Thursday, 20 December 2018

Welcome adventurer! Whether you're new on this quest or are towards the end of your journey there should be something below for you.

Daily journal.

• [Q&A] "I have a question."
• [Day 1] "I am starting my weight loss journey."
• [SV/NSV] "I have an accomplishment to share."
• [24hr Pledge] "Today I am going to..."

Interested in some side quests?

• [Motivation Monday] Share some motivation, get some motivation.
• [Tantrum Tuesday] Need to vent? People getting on your nerves?
• [Weigh-In Wednesday]
• [Track with Me Thursday] Did we just become best friends?!
• [Free Talk Friday] What's on your mind?

Community bulletin board!

• [Running with Loseit] Run with losers. Avoid arrows.
• [Maintenance Monday] Lost it? Work on keeping it.
• [Wecipe Wednesday] Swap and discuss recipies!

If you are new to the sub, click here for our posting guidelines

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