Losing Motivation

Hey all,

To start off with, this community seems so helpful and supportive which is why I feel safe dumping my insecurities here.

I'm a 27 year old female basically in the morbid obese category. Im 5'1 and 199 lbs. I have a horrible addiction to crappy food and just a bad relationship with food in general. Three weeks ago I made a commitment to losing weight and downloaded a calorie counter app and have tried to be very diligent. My weight loss goal is basically to lose 1 pound a week until I hit 120 lbs. I completely cut out all sugary foods and have been drinking nothing but water and I have been careful in weighing all my calories to make sure I am consistently under my deficit.

So, when I started this plan, I was 197 lbs. After the first week, I weighed myself and nothing had changed. That was a little upsetting but no matter. These things take time and I was sure after the second week, things would get better. I worked even harder at making better food choices and counting all my calories, once again coming in at under my deficit each day.

Today, I stepped on the scale telling myself that even if I was still at 197, I would be okay because at least that meant I was maintaining. Nope. To my surprise, I had actually gained two pounds. At this point, it feels pointless. I've been sitting on the couch just crying the entire morning. It feels like I have been denying myself all the foods that I love and crave for absolutely no reason. My motivation is gone and it feels like I just took ten steps backwards. I'm completely at a loss for what to do. I could put myself on an even more restrictive diet but I know I cant maintain it because subsisting on veggies and grilled chicken just seems impossible to me.

Has anyone else been through this and does it get any easier? Any help would be so appreciated.

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4 Cheesy Quesadilla Recipes That Go Big on Flavor, Not on Guilt

Think of quesadillas as a Mexican grilled cheese sandwich, but kicked up more than a notch by delicious, savory fillings.

They’re not the healthiest choice when you’re dining out. Those globs of glorious melted cheese are full fat and the fillings may be glistening from the oil they’re sautéed in.

But if you make your own quesadillas, you can keep the delicious taste while you jettison most of the fat calories. Best of all, the whole quesadilla concept—tortilla, cheese, filling—is so versatile, you can have them morning, noon or night.

Here are a few of our customers’ favorite quesadillas that make great flex meals:

1. Breakfast Quesadilla with Broccoli and Cheddar >

This savory breakfast is a great way to sneak in more than one serving of veggies in a day—something you can rarely do at breakfast time.

It uses one low carb wheat tortilla into which you place a half cup of cooked broccoli florets (from frozen), one cup of chopped spinach steamed in water until it wilts, two scrambled egg whites, some garlic powder for extra taste and, of course, low-fat cheese—a quarter cup of shredded cheddar. Breakfast quesadillas are a great way to start your day.

Clocking in at just 201 calories, this breakfast quesadilla counts as one SmartCarb, one PowerFuel, and one and a half Vegetables.

2. Cheesy Chicken Quesadilla >

You won’t miss any fat or flavor in this traditional recipe that pairs tender, cooked chicken with low-fat shredded cheddar, sautéed red bell peppers and onions, and parsley between two whole wheat tortillas (go for the 60 calorie, low-carb version). Of course, there’s salsa and fat-free sour cream for dipping. Best of all, they take no time to prepare—just some quick sautéing and cheese melting!

This recipe makes two servings with each counting as one SmartCarb, two PowerFuels and one Extra.

3. Spicy Shrimp Quesadilla >

This is the heat-lovers’ special, brought to you by jalapenos, chili powder and cayenne. You can choose the heat level yourself by adjusting the spices.

It’s easy and quick to make, too. Simply toss two ounces of small raw shrimp with chili powder and cayenne. Set aside and sauté diced bell peppers, half of a small jalapeno, and minced garlic for two to three minutes, then add shrimp and cook for another two minutes on each side of the shrimp.

This recipe also use one low-carb wheat tortilla into which you fold the shrimp mixture, two tablespoons of piquant cilantro leaves, sliced green onion and a quarter cup of low-fat shredded Mexican cheese blend. Cook in the skillet until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is crisp, then serve with two tablespoons of pico de gallo and lime wedges.

Clocking in at just 210 calories, this recipe counts as one PowerFuel, one SmartCarb and one Extra.

4. Easy, Cheesy Veggie-Lovers Quesadilla >

This totally customizable and hearty dinner may become your favorite way to get your veggies. The recipe calls for kale and semi-soft goat cheese, along with cherry tomatoes and caramelized (read: Sweet!) Vidalia or yellow onion, but you can swap in spinach, broccoli, even shredded Brussels sprouts if you like and substitute cheddar for goat cheese to please your particular palate.

This recipe makes two servings so it calls for two low-carb wheat tortillas. You may spend the most time caramelizing the onions (with a touch of sugar) and wilting the kale (or your veggie of choice). The quesadilla will be ready to eat once the cheese melts and the tortilla is a little crispy. Wrap the second half for another meal. Reheat it in a medium-hot skillet.
At 306 calories per serving, this delicious dinner quesadilla counts as two PowerFuels, one SmartCarb, one Vegetable and one Extra.

In the mood for Mexican? Click here to get 20 Delicious Mexican Recipes That Won’t Wreck Your Diet >

The post 4 Cheesy Quesadilla Recipes That Go Big on Flavor, Not on Guilt appeared first on The Leaf.

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How to Stop Stress Eating

For some, it happens after an argument with your spouse or testy text from a friend. Maybe a looming deadline or money concerns triggers it for others. Whatever the stressful event, many of us turn to food for comfort and distraction. And not a bag of baby carrots or stalks of celery, but food in the form of cookies, ice cream or chocolate. That kind of junk is convenient, and our bodies are built to seek it in high-stress situations. Eating carbohydrates that are packed with fat or sugar releases brain chemicals that leave us feeling good. But here’s the kicker: After you work your way through that sleeve of cookies or tub of ice cream, the guilt of doing so may end up leave you feeling worse. (I know it does for me.)

Emotional eating can get in the way of your weight loss. It’s not easy to break the cycle, but try some of these tips to help you take better control.

Keep notes. Awareness is key: In a journal, write down what you eat, when, how much, and how you’re feeling. Over time, you may see patterns developing that reveal the connection between mood and food.

Learn replacement techniques. You often know when you’re using food as consolation for a bigger issue. Refocus your attention on what’s really bothering you and, in those moments, try some methods to manage the stress―like deep breathing or meditation.

Think future. When on you’re on the brink of stress eating, take a second to focus on your long term goals―whether it’s to lose those last 10 pounds, or to be able to run more with the grandkids. Some research suggests that might help you get out of the moment and make healthier choices.

Give yourself a break. If you overdo the junk food in a moment of anger, forgive yourself and start fresh. Just try to learn from the setback so you can make a plan for how to deal better in the future.

The post How to Stop Stress Eating appeared first on The Leaf.

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Study: exercise is more critical than diet to maintain weight loss

A new study from the University of Colorado Anschutz Health and Wellness Center (AHWC) at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus revealed physical activity does more to maintain substantial weight loss than diet.

The study, published in the March issue of Obesity, was selected as the Editor’s Choice article.

“This study addresses the difficult question of why so many people struggle to keep weight off over a long period. By providing evidence that a group of successful weight-loss maintainers engages in high levels of physical activity to prevent weight regain – rather than chronically restricting their energy intake – is a step forward to clarifying the relationship between exercise and weight-loss maintenance,” said Danielle Ostendorf, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at the CU Anschutz Health and Wellness Center.

The findings reveal that successful weight-loss maintainers rely on physical activity to remain in energy balance (rather than chronic restriction of dietary intake) to avoid weight regain. In the study, successful weight-loss maintainers are individuals who maintain a reduced body weight of 30 pounds or more for over a year.

Key findings include:

• The total calories burned (and consumed) each day by weight-loss maintainers was significantly higher (300 kcal/day) compared with that in individuals with normal body weight controls but was not significantly different from that in the individuals with overweight/obesity.
• Notably, of the total calories burned, the amount burned in physical activity by weight-loss maintainers was significantly higher (180 kcal/day) compared with that in both individuals of normal body weight and individuals with overweight/obesity. Despite the higher energy cost of moving a larger body mass incurred by individuals with overweight/obesity, weight-loss maintainers were burning more energy in physical activity, suggesting they were moving more.
• This is supported by the fact that the weight-loss maintainer group also demonstrated significantly higher levels of steps per day (12,000 steps per day) compared to participants at a normal body weight (9,000 steps per day) and participants with overweight/obesity (6,500 steps per day).

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/oby.22373

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-meta- A /r/loseit Habit that Helps Us Help Everyone

When I wake, I have this routine that I follow...

• I weigh after using the toilet and before dressing
• I start the coffee
• I log my weight so I don't forget
• I hop online and upvote these daily /r/loseit posts...
  • 24-Hour Pledge - The Plan for Today!
  • (whatever today's weekly post is) such as Motivation Monday. Get and give motivation for yourself or others.
  • [Daily Directory] Find your quests for the day here!
  • Daily Q&A Post for Monday - No question too small!
  • SV/NSV Feats of the Day: Today, I conquered!
  • Day 1? Starting your weight loss journey? Start here!
  • the daily challenge posts

I upvote these posts because they're inherently useful and I want the newbies to find them on or near the front page. Not only do they help the newbies find and support one another, the posts themselves answer most of the situations that we face

• the 24-hour pledge is a great way to pre-plan your day
• the Q&A Post is a great way to unload a question that's churning in your brain
• the Day 1 Post not only is a great place to post that introduction and your intention to lose weight, the post itself has great advice to think about when starting. This auto-post alone has made it to the front page of Reddit and /r/all several times. It's that good!
• writing in the SV/NSV post is like writing a "thank you" note to yourself, and a good example to others who may be hating themselves and showing them how to appreciate themselves and their efforts

These posts also serve to make the solo self-posts better. If the thousands of people that read /r/loseit posted every day (which would be great), we want them to see great solo self-posts and to cut through the noise, we'd need the daily "I will skip a second hamburger, Is one hamburger okay, I totally skipped the hamburgers" posts to stick to the daily community posts.

Help out other readers. Help them keep to /r/loseit's culture. Help them find the useful posts by upvoting the posts you think others would find useful.

Make it your daily habit, too. Upvoting the valuable, useful posts is reddit and /r/loseit culture.

^{♂55 5'11/179㎝ SW:298℔/135㎏ CW:183℔/83㎏ [3Y AMA], [1Y recap] Journaling+🚶🏋+TOPS}

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Day 1? Starting your weight loss journey on Monday, 01 April 2019? 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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This group is an inspiration!

I started my weight loss journey in the 2nd week of January this year, and with some IF and regular workouts (mix of weights and cardio) I was able to lose 20 lbs in 6-8 weeks. I got a little slack after that and my weight has plateaued for a while, but after reading these posts and seeing the amazing things people have done I'm so inspired to get back to a strict IF and CICO with regular workouts! I can't wait to make my next post that says I've reached my Goal Weight! Only 2/3rd of the Journey remains! You guys are seriously amazing!! Sending this group a tonne of love for all the inspiration and for making me wanna get back on track and nail this transformation! <3

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