The dangers of "if it fits my calory budget"

Like a lot of people here, my "diet" is simple CICO, using the mindset that I can eat anything I want as long as it fits into my daily caloric budget. In general I think this is the easiest and most straightforward approach to weight loss, especially if you already tended to eat a lot of healthier stuff but just needed to cut out the junk or stop over-eating. But it can also lead you astray, as I recently discovered.

On the first month of my new eating habit, I lost just over a stone (14 pounds) easily. I was very pleased with this, as it had an extremely visible impact on my body and the way I look. But then I hit the infamous plateau. My weight loss stopped. I fluctuated for a few weeks between 16 stone 12 and 17 stone 1 or 2. What I was doing wrong? Why wasn't I losing weight?

All the desserts probably had something to do with it.

Using my "if it fits" mentality, I had gone back to an old habit of ordering desserts frequently when eating out. I went from comfortably coming in 200 to 400 calories below my daily goal to just barely squeaking by. More experienced weight losers will probably have spotted my other mistake: these were restaurant desserts, which means I couldn't be entirely certain of their calorie counts, which means I was probably going way over-budget without realizing it.

Lesson learned. Resteraunt desserts have to become a very occasional treat from now on. The weight loss has started up again and I'm now just a few pounds away from no longer being obese.

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from loseit - Lose the Fat http://bit.ly/2Hsk4Ib

Two Year Update!

So two years ago, on my 29th birthday, I looked at my life and decided that for my own sake I needed to make a lot of changes - weight loss was a big one of those, but I was also a negative pessimistic dick and had spent most of my adult life dependent on another person for my happiness.

I set some goals I wanted to hit by the time I turned 30, and for the most part I achieved them! But the journey didn't end there! I was now seriously into self-improvement!

But this is a weight loss sub, so let's focus on that and what my experiences have been with my weight loss journey over the last two years. Here are some things I've learned:

1. Your weight is not something that exists in a vacuum in your life - there are other factors that cause it, and there are other areas that it will impact. Losing weight will improve other things for you as well.

2. Ups and downs will happen, and slipping up for a day, a week, a month, even two or three months and more, is not the end of the world. You don't have to pack in all that hard work because you did a woopsie. The journey continues, and you just keep moving forward at whatever pace you can manage.

3. There's a lot of debate out there for which "diet" is best, and I know this sub is moist as hell for CICO, but the fact is this - the best approach is the one you can stick to. Whatever it is that you decide to do, make sure it's something you are happy to stick to, and I stress this, FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. This is not a goal and stop thing, this is a total lifestyle change, and you are going to be doing for the rest of your life or you'll put the weight back on. It's no good saying "no more carbs" if that isn't something you can stick to. For me, CICO didn't work because tracking calories drove me insane. I didn't follow a "diet" I just tried to develop a sense of intuitive eating and focussed on eating real food. The idea is the same - eat fewer calories than you burn and you'll lose weight, it's just down to what method you use to meet that calorie deficit.

4. Get an active hobby. It'll be so much easier if you find an activity, a sport, a something that'll keep you active and that will set a fire under you. If you have that active thing that you love, you'll find yourself changing your eating habits to support your performance in that hobby and it becomes less of a battle. That's what I found anyway.

So where am I now?

I'm 31 years old today and I feel fitter, healthier, happier, and more free than I did throughout the entirety of my twenties. I don't attribute this entirely to weight loss but weight loss has essentially opened more doors for me.

I've gone from working a sedentary office job that I hated to working a more active job helping adults with mental health and learning difficulties out in the community and I absolutely love it! And seeing what I achieved with my weight loss gave me the courage to make such a drastic change to my life.

I've completely changed my relationship with food now, and no longer use it as an emotional crutch. I don't entirely see it as fuel because I still enjoy the occasional indulgence but it's a far more healthy approach to eating, mentally and physically.

Health and fitness have now become core elements of my life and I love it.

If you want to know anything, or want to discuss anything, feel free to contact me! I'll answer any and all questions if I can!

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

Discouraged: feels like I can’t ever eat a regular meal again.

I’m sure people have felt this before but I was on a roll with my weight loss and then I had like three “normal” meals and gained everything back. It’s got me feeling like the only way to lose weight is to never eat out and be on a deficit every freaking day which feels really really depressing. I know we’re allowed “cheat meals” but sometimes I have one cheat meal which is really just one of the regular meals I used to eat pre-weight loss and it’s like BAM three pounds came back.

I’m 5’2” and started at 142. I went down to 137.5 in about three weeks, started moderate exercises, gave up alcohol and eat at 1200-1500 calories a day. Five pounds lost is a huge ordeal for me since I’ve been on this journey before and I would work really hard and never get past 137 and this time it only took me three weeks! I allowed myself three cheat meals last week and gained three pounds back. I tracked those meals in my calorie counter and they weren’t even that bad, just went over by maybe 300-500 calories for that day. Somehow it brought back three pounds, and they’ve stayed with me the last couple of days. I know people say it fluctuates blah blah blah but I just have to get this frustration out. It’s so disappointing and discouraging.

Now I’m feeling super defeated because it feels like my efforts weren’t good enough and I am depressed by the thought of having to eat at a constant deficit forever and feeling super guilty and stupid for having a “cheat meal”.

Guhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

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from loseit - Lose the Fat http://bit.ly/2LVSKX2

[Daily Directory] Find your quests for the day here! - Monday, 20 May 2019

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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from loseit - Lose the Fat http://bit.ly/2VV5Icw

[NSV] Fit-ertainment games really do help!

Five years ago I was starting to try to lose weight. Everyone told me to knock off the Wii Fit, stop trying to gamify weight loss, just eat like a bird and take a jog daily. It never worked, I hated running, I hated eating so little, I hated lacing up my shoes. I'd be exhausted after my dumb half jog and plop down to play video games for hours. I deserved it, I just jogged!

Well, five years later and I haven't lost a pound. Decided to try CICO again, healthier, and just walk to work. Simple enough. Oh, and I started playing Pokemon Go again. It's still silly, but I enjoy it. Today was a community day, so I started walking to the area I'd plan to patrol at 2:30...

...and didn't come home, walking, until 8. I walked 8 miles, 20,000 steps, and according to Google Fit got nearly all my heart points for the WEEK. I would have NEVER walked 8 miles in a day before. I was getting 2,000 on a good day, and now I average 12,000 on days I play PoGo. My calves burn, but I feel so accomplished. Now, I've got to go burn off the celebratory drink I had with dinner... by playing some DDR :)

TL;DR If regular exercise doesn't jam with you, seriously consider exercising video games. It makes it so much more fun and I've made more progress in two months than I did in five years!

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from loseit - Lose the Fat http://bit.ly/2HEHDg0

I graduated veterinary school, today, and the only thing I can focus on is that I just overheard my uncle saying how much weight I've gained.

I feel shitty. What I was afraid of happening, happened. Vet school has been a rocky road for me, and I have gained quite a bit of weight due to emotional eating and poor habits. But I know that, and I was so afraid of my extended family saying something about it that I considered addressing it when they all arrived, just to head off any negative comments said behind my back.

My boyfriend said it was better to just say "fuck them" and not care what they think. Which I'm sure we can all agree is easier said than done. But anyway, I tried to forget about it and be happy for myself, today. In fact, I had just finished a whole conversation with my uncle, where he said I should be so proud of myself and not think about anything else but what I've accomplished, when we both went to our respective bedrooms that share a wall, and I heard him remarking to my aunt on the phone about my weight. He said how I had gained a ton of weight and it was a shame because I was such a pretty girl. That he watches how I eat, and it's just straight to the dessert table.

I'm infuriated. I'm infuriated with him because I feel very hurt and betrayed. I'm furious with myself for caring what he thinks. I'm more furious with myself for letting my weight get this bad. And I'm furious that I let it get to me, that I'm crying right now, that this reinforces the hate I have for myself and my body.

I had planned on truly committing myself to a better, healthy lifestyle after the grad celebrations we're over, but now I don't think I'll be able to enjoy anything we eat tomorrow, knowing what my uncle is thinking.

What were some of the best things you did for yourself in the beginning of your weight loss journey, to stay positive, before your progress started to show? I know the hardest part is getting started, I just need some words of encouragement that things won't always be like this.

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

F/29/5'7" [300+lbs>163lbs = 140lbs](2.5 years) CICO, Keto, & Self Care

https://imgur.com/gallery/IAW1DK0 progress pics (sports bra, NSFW?)

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I started with CICO & tried to stick to 1300 calories per day. That was the first year, and I lost about 60 pounds! The weight loss was great, but I didn't feel like I was making better food choices - still eating garbage, just much less of it! I decided in February of last year to give keto a shot, since more strict regimens tend to work better for me. None of that "I can have X food, I just need to moderate!", I needed a diet and frame of mind that didn't allow me to even give in to those temptations. For the last year and a half I have been eating keto, and have never felt better in my life! It is so important to find a way of eating that you can make work for yourself long term.

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I have just in the last few months started exercising (something I have never done, and never thought I would do). I run 3-4x a week and go to a (light) weightlifting class 3x a week. I am looking forward to my first marathon this summer! Putting real fuel into my body instead of garbage is still surreal - I am able to run! I am able to lift weights! Things I have never felt well enough to do before.

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I've gone from wearing size 20 jeans to 10, size 2XL men's shirts to size S-M, and almost never being able to wear women's tops (unless I could find them in 3-4XL) to now wearing a M-L in women's tops. I can shop at regular clothing stores, I am still not accustomed to that!

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Thank you all for being part of this community. A community that inspired me 2.5 years ago to start my journey, and a community that continues to inspire me every single day with your stories, photos, struggles, and triumphs. I can't possibly thank you enough for helping give me back control of my life.

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Love to you all ♥

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