Friday, April 12, 2019

Down 30 lbs and going - first time in my life that weight loss seems to be working - lessons learned

I have had troubles controlling my weight all my life, reaching at some point the top weight of 275lbs. (Male, 5'11", 36 years old at the time of max weight.)

I had gastric surgery in 2015 and lost around 50 lbs, then the bad habits crept in again and I started gaining again.

I decided to go talk to the behavioral psychologist who performed my pre-op evaluation who, at the time, warned me that the surgery was not enough to fix things. We started a plan together.

This is the first weight control attempt in my life that really seemed to work on a long term basis. Here are the results:

https://imgur.com/a/Y1e4o2L

I literally tried everything else before, and nothing stuck.

Here is what we do:

  • We see each other roughly once a month, and on that occasion he weighs me.
  • I log everything I eat on an app, and he gets a daily summary of everything I ate.
  • *every* day he emails me with comments on my eating the previous day
  • in addition to that, i used stickk.com to commit money to an anti-charity;
    I lose that money if I fail reaching the target goal by the deadline; I use him as a referee.

I commit typically non-trivial amounts of money, like $2,000, so that when the deadline gets close, I'm not tempted to just "pay the penalty and eat freely" on the last days of each stint.

Our target is 2 lbs a month.

It's hard. On the last few days of each stint, natural weight fluctuations are the same magnitude as the planned loss, so you are always at risk of wiping out the gain with a little extra water retention or bowel congestion. The last few days, you basically need to virtually starve yourself and avoid any salty food.

But there's something to be learned there too: if you want to stop eating, you can. And it's not going to be hell. Hunger is not going to torture you. You can easily fast for a couple of days.

Eating out with friends: I just find it impossible control portions. So, when I'm outside eating with friends, if I'm close to my deadline, I just eat nothing. They are understanding. They know I have $2,000 on the line. They don't try to sabotage me.

This is how a recurring commitment for me looks like: logging every day; weight <x> lbs at home, unclothed; no refined carbs at breakfast; dessert only Tue/Thu only after lunch; no food after dinner except 1 glass milk; 2 x 40-min workouts / week, health permitting; afternoon snacks below 250 kcal.

It took a while to converge on it.

Summary: inescapable accountability seems to be critical factor that fixed my behavior.

I hope it can help others.

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

from loseit - Lose the Fat http://bit.ly/2KxFAiy

What are some lies you used to tell yourself about your weight?

I've been thinking a lot lately about the lies I told myself (and usually believed) about my weight before I got my act together to get healthy before turning 30. I think they've been on my mind because there are several old friends--some of whom are now "health coaches"--who have really started spreading some of the same lies on social media lately. As I creep up on the minus-50 mark, I'm trying to become more aware of these lies so I don't screw up down the road and find myself in the same situation. I think this is a healthy exercise for everyone, too.

Some examples of lies that I told myself:

  • "My thyroid made me fat." -- Like most effective lies, there is a nugget of truth here. My sluggish thyroid did affect my weight, but not in the way that most thyroid patients seem to believe. When you ache all over and sleep 11-12 hours a day (just to still be exhausted when you're awake), it can be hard to strike the CICO balance. But that doesn't mean my thyroid unavoidably made me gain weight, nor does it mean my thyroid makes it impossible to lose weight. It might be harder. But it is not impossible. (Fortunately, I have some solid treatment now and no longer sleep and ache like I did before.)

  • "I don't have time to sleep AND work out." -- First of all, this is usually not true. A couple of workouts a week can have the cardiovascular benefits that improve health, and activity can come in the form of a walk or doing body weight exercises while you watch The Daily Show. Yes, sleep is important, and I will still choose sleep over a workout if I truly only have the time for one, but I can still CICO without a workout.

  • "Counting calories is so much work." -- Not if I'm eating simple, healthy stuff most of the time.

  • "Fat doesn't make you fat." -- Again with the nugget of truth thing. SOME fat won't make you fat, but yes, you WILL get fat if you drench your food in olive oil or eat too much avocado.

  • "I'm muscular, so I'm not as fat as my weight suggests." -- You really have no idea if this is even remotely true until you've lost a lot of the fat and can see your muscle mass. And even when there is a grain of truth to it (as there was in my case), it didn't make nearly as much of a difference as I told myself it did.

  • "I worked out today and probably burned like 800 calories, so this guacamole won't hurt." -- Do you have any idea how hard it is to burn 800 calories through a workout? Don't listen to your heart rate monitors, Apple Watches, FitBits, etc. They LIE. And if you DO manage to burn 700 calories in a workout, you have to do that five times a week--without eating back any of those calories--to achieve one pound of fat loss a week. That's a lot of work. A lot of work. Work out for the health benefits beyond weight loss, and be careful not to eat back your calories. You almost definitely didn't burn nearly as many as you think you did. (And don't forget to subtract out the 75-100 calories that you would have burned anyway if you were being sedentary for that hour.)

I'm sure there are others that I'm not thinking of right now, but I'm anxious to hear yours.

submitted by /u/cafe-aulait
[link] [comments]

from loseit - Lose the Fat http://bit.ly/2GfPgsG

Anyone else frustrated that their weight loss isn't as obvious as they thought it would be??

As of this morning I'm down about 12 pounds to 156. Before I started calorie counting in late February, my personal best was 159. It might not sound like much but it's a lot for me.

I'm really happy to finally be seeing some results and super relieved that I can fit into all my clothes again (and some are even loose on me). BUT I honestly still look pretty much the same, and I can't lie it's pretty frustrating. It's not yet at a point where anyone else has really noticed I've lost weight (or said anything). It's making me wonder if my goal weight should be even lower or closer to 130. I still don't have a flat stomach or skinny arms.

Can anyone relate?

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

from loseit - Lose the Fat http://bit.ly/2Z6LiuW

Behavior of gym owner has me disappointed.

Quick background: I'm a middle aged woman, that hit nearly 300 pounds last summer. After a few months of false starts, I started taking my weight loss seriously. I've lost over 30 pounds, and for a solid two months, I've been at the gym, nearly every day, doing cardio for a good 60 minutes. I don't do any weight training, because I am literally just trying to get to a manageable size before "becoming my best".

Naturally, it's a little nerve racking going to a new gym. My husband usually goes with me. You always wonder if people are judging you, your speed, your incline or resistance, what you chose to wear, etc. BUT, I just say screw it, and go anyway. There's always someone bigger, or slower, but we're all working on ourselves, right?

Today, my little 24/7 gym chain shared one of those "look at these idiots in the gym videos", it was a montage of people doing weird or stupid shit. Some of it was staged, some of it was really stupid, and some of it was just nice old ladies not knowing what they were doing. I would hope that the gym owners would discourage getting a laugh out of this kind of thing and absolutely forbid recording or mocking, but here they are sharing it with laugh emojis.

To be clear, the videos aren't their's or shot at their gym. I just thought getting a laugh off of people screwing up was really shitty. Of course, I'm in a contract. I was month to month, but since I started hitting it daily, the husband and I opted for the contract to get a better price. I WOULD express my disappointment to the owners, but I've already contacted them once about some gym shenanigans, and I felt like it was brushed off. At the very least, I don't know what came of it. As an overweight, middle aged, white woman, I am really NOT trying to be a Karen, so I won't be contacting them about my feelings.

I'll keep going, and keep on hitting the elliptical, until my year is up, but what a bag of dicks. /rant,

thanks for letting me get it off my chest.

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

from loseit - Lose the Fat http://bit.ly/2Deq5WG

The science behind cravings and keeping them in check

At some point or another, we’ve all experienced cravings and have likely wondered where they came from. Taking a closer look, cravings are a strong desire for a specific food, taste or texture. When we experience feelings of natural hunger, it’s a physical sign from our body telling us that it needs more fuel in order to have energy so it can function properly. 

When comparing the two, hunger is a signal that your metabolism is revved up and looking to break down nutrient-dense food for energy, whereas cravings can stem from many different underlying causes and stem from some sort of physiological imbalance going on inside, including nutrient deficiencies, stress hormones, or poor lifestyle habits.



from Life Time Weight Loss Blog http://bit.ly/2GljmMr

Caloric intake Advice

27M 5'10" SW:207 CW:198

Hey everyone I first want to say that is subreddit has been a huge help for me to get and keep on track with my journey. I am currently 1 month as of yesterday into my goal of getting to 175lbs. I have taken some advice from here and used calorie calculators online and averaged out what should be my calorie deflect and it is putting me around 1800 calories. I have made progress with that, but I am now having a problem with not being as hungry to reach these calories. The past week I have been hovering round 1400 calories by lowing the intake on my protein source. I am worried this is too low for my body type and could have a reverse effect on my weight loss. An

example of my daily at ~1800 intake looks like this:

Breakfast: Whole wheat cereal, silk, powdered peaunt butter, almond butter -420

Lunch: Sweet Peas, .5lb ground turkey, brown rice - 615

Dinner: Same as lunch -615

Snack: Fruit ~100

Is there anything I should worry about lowing my caloric intake below the recommended?

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

from loseit - Lose the Fat http://bit.ly/2VELWNX

Easy One Pan Recipes for Busy Weeknights

Sometimes getting dinner on the table feels like a monumental task. Whether you’re running late from work, have nighttime meetings or sports practices to get to, or are just exhausted from a long day, it can be tempting to order take-out on nights where cooking feels like a chore. But take heart, because we have solutions that will work for you.

On nights that you simply can’t even fathom cooking, having some ready-to-eat Nutrisystem meals on hand will make dinner a cinch. Plus, you’ll know that you’re eating something that still fits into your healthy diet.

Of course, sometimes you just need an easy-to-make meal that is not only simple to assemble, but simple to clean up, as well. If that’s the case, we’ve got you covered with these quick and easy one pan recipes. They’re perfect for those busy weeknights when you want something low-stress that your family will still enjoy. And, any one of these one pan recipes would make not only a delicious choice, but a nutritious one that will keep your diet on track.

Here are our customers’ favorites one pan recipes for busy weeknights:

1. One Pan Salmon, Brussels Sprouts and Squash >

salmon recipe

This recipe combines heart-healthy (omega-3 fatty acid-rich) salmon with seasoned Brussels sprouts and squash for a simple one pan meal that packs in a ton of nutrition. Both Brussels sprouts and squash are rich in valuable nutrients. Brussels sprouts are an excellent source of vitamins C and K while squash is known to be a great source of vitamins E and B.

2. One Pan Chicken Parmesan & Green Beans >

chicken parm

Who doesn’t love chicken parm? It’s one of the most popular Italian dishes out there and with our version, you can enjoy it without any of the associated guilt. The trick is that our recipe goes light on the cheese and sauce and uses whole wheat bread crumbs on the chicken. But don’t get us wrong, with plenty of yummy seasonings, it’s still big on that classic Italian flavor you know and love. Plus, when served with green beans—which carry essential vitamins like A, C, K, and B6—you’ve got a complete, nutritious meal your family will love.

3. One Pan Tofu Fajitas >

One-Pan Tofu Fajitas

Is it meatless Monday and you’re craving fajitas? No problem. Try this delicious substitute for traditional fajitas and you’ll hardly even realize you swapped out the meat. That’s because these fajitas are packed with flavor from a variety of spices and fresh veggies. And because tofu is high in protein and contains all eight essential amino acids, these fajitas are a meal that you can truly feel good about eating on your weight loss plan.

4. One Pan Greek Fish and Vegetables >

Tomato Recipes: One-Pan Meal Greek Fish

This light and fresh meal is simple to assemble and will result in easy clean up since it’s all made on a single pan. With this recipe, your favorite white fish (ex. tilapia, halibut, or cod) is tossed with a homemade dressing and topped with fresh cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, red onion and black olives. Since white-fleshed fish is lower in fat than any other source of animal protein, it’s a dinner that will help keep your diet on track while still ensuring you feel satisfied with a delicious meal.

5. Spanish Cauliflower Rice >

Spanish Cauliflower Rice

This recipe uses two cups of riced cauliflower (which you can buy pre-made or make your own using a head of cauliflower in the blender) and transforms it into a flavor-filled and spicy dish using garlic, cumin, chili powder, paprika and cilantro. And besides the cauliflower, which is an excellent source of vitamins C and K, this dish also incorporates some diced onion and fire-roasted diced tomatoes for added flavor and nutrition.

6. Hasselback Chicken >

hasselback chicken

This dish is not only healthy and easy-to-make, but it also creates a beautiful presentation and is a lovely dish to serve for family and friends. Simply cut your chicken with slices (that don’t go quite all the way through) and assemble your chopped vegetables (potatoes, bell peppers and onion) into the slices. Then bake! Paired with some simple olive oil and black pepper, and seasoned with spicy Cajun seasoning, it’s a dish that packs in a lot of flavor but not a lot of unnecessary calories.

7. Easy Chicken Fajita Bake >

chicken fajita

A fun twist on traditional fajitas, this casserole-style meal is assembled in a baking dish and served over top of rice. With vitamin-rich bell peppers and onions, it’s a nutritious dinner that is big on flavor. And without the carb-laden flour tortillas, it’s a much healthier way to eat your fajitas! You’ll feel fully satisfied without feeling weighted down.

8. One Pan Rice, Chicken and Vegetables >

chicken and vegetables

This one pan meal combines fiber-rich brown rice with tasty bite-sized pieces of chicken. Add in some nutrient-packed kale and you’ve got a nutritional powerhouse of a meal—all made in one skillet! Topped off with some shredded cheese, the result is a dinner that is both hearty and satisfying. It’s definitely a meal the whole family can get behind.

9. One Pan Paprika Tomato Chicken and Rice >

paprika

Chicken is said to be one of the most versatile foods and this is exactly why! This is another chicken and rice meal but is a completely different twist on the classic dish. Using a mouthwatering blend of garlic, onion, bell peppers and tomatoes, this version kicks up the flavor factor with a taste you wouldn’t expect. With the ideal mix of seasoning for your own personal taste you can make it as spicy as you want. While this dish is loaded with flavor, it’s not packed with calories. At just 240 calories per serving, it’s a low-calorie meal that you’ll love.

The post Easy One Pan Recipes for Busy Weeknights appeared first on The Leaf.



from The Leaf http://bit.ly/2UxRDkh