Started from the bottom now we...oh, look, we're back at the bottom.

Over the course of two years, I lost 40 lbs. I was so proud, guys. Even though the BMI scale said I was overweight (5'2" and 150 lbs), I was so happy with how I looked that I didn't care if I lost more. It would be NICE, but not necessary.

Then I hit a snag.

I hit a plateau, and my weight bounced around 5 lbs ish. Then I got an IUD.

In addition to getting it "installed" being one of the worst pains I have ever felt in my life, it marked the sharp uptick of my weight.

Over the next year, I gained back 20 lbs. This was with me working out 3x a week for 90 minutes each, living off of 1,150 Cal/day (my doctor actually told me to eat that little, and wanted me to add another day's workout, but I was working and going to school full time, and was too exhausted to do so).

I was the bitchy hungry girl, and I was even more angry that my clothes were getting tighter, even as I was doubling down on my diet and exercise.

I have had so many attempts to get back on the wagon since then. To renew my hope and excitement for weight loss, and to believe that I CAN lose the weight. But I've just gotten burned out on every level.

Ive since had my IUD removed (it never really stopped making me spot or giving me cramps), and I've gained another 17 lbs out of sheer anger at my body. ("You aren't gonna lose weight? FINE! Then I guess I'll just EAT THIS PIZZA!")

I've come a long ways with my binge eating—I almost never binge anymore, and I prefer healthy foods and exercise. But I have been having trouble buckling down and realizing that I have to start over.

I have to start over. From square one. It hurts so bad, guys, and I'm fucking pissed that I have to do it. I'm pissed, but more than that, I'm AFRAID that I'm going to gain it all back AGAIN. That all that work will just result in a few brief months of happiness.

I just started my first semester of grad school. I got into a fully-funded MFA program for creative writing on my first round of applications—many people apply multiple years before getting accepted, and even fewer get a fully-funded package. Statistically, it's harder to get into one of these programs than Harvard law school.

I'm more confident in my skills and abilities than I ever have been, but I can't shake this fear of and bitterness over the possibility of failing again. Of gaining it all back. I'm trying to start over, but it's such a long, uphill journey...and I'm just having trouble fully committing.

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I've been waiting for someone to notice my weight loss.... Today, 2 people commented on it!

Haha finally! I am 24 lbs down and losing pretty slowly, so I didnt really expect anyone to notice. Secretly deep down, Ive been wanting someone to comment on it. I know it's not the most important thing, but its validating to know the changes are visible.

Today, a coworker who's been on vacation asked if I was dieting, I said yes. He said it is showing in my face. Yes! The face gains aren't just imagined, other people can see them. He also said he liked my "baby fat cheeks," I told him to forget about the cheeks because they're about to be gone forever! It was silly and casual but it meant a lot to me

Then when I got home from work, my boyfriend (big guy at 6'6" and 250) gave me a confused look... "Is that MY tshirt you're wearing? It looks really big" It wasn't his, it was mine 🤭😁

Honestly, this gave me a little boost today. Keeping under 1200 calories and logging every bite has not been easy. The weight is coming off rather slowly. I mess up sometimes. But no matter what, I keep logging and keep trying. Long way to go, but I think the consistency is starting to pay off!

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Run Faster 5 Day Challenge Announcement

Hello!! I’m so excited to share this BIG NEW Challenge with you… the Run Faster 5 Day Challenge!  What’s the Run Faster 5 Day Challenge What: 5 Day Challenge to help you get faster Where:  Facebook & Instagram How: 5 days of Tips & Strategies to improve your running plan Who: Runners of all levels!  […]

The post Run Faster 5 Day Challenge Announcement appeared first on Run Eat Repeat.

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As a Licensed Professional Counselor I see some similarities in posts here. I hope I can help.

I’m new on my own weight loss journey and I’ve felt nothing but acceptance from the people on here. I’d like to offer a smidge of my expertise in behavior modification and if it helps you then I’m happy. If not, no worries, no one thing works for everyone.

There is a considerable emotional aspect to (over?)eating. I want to help people to know that you can have an effect on your own thought processes. Our thinking controls our actions and when we control our thinking we begin to take control of our lives. How do we control our thinking, especially when we have thought the same way for so long? Talk to your negative thoughts and tell them to get the hell out.

Scenario; you feel bad about whatever (job, friends, weight) and the negative thoughts are coming fast and furious about how worthless and fat you are. The old you goes to food for the quick mood boost (before the negative spiral that you’ve eaten garbage again). Here’s what I want you to do. Go stand in front of the mirror and say OUT LOUD to yourself. “Yes, I feel bad and that’s normal. The old me would go drown my sorrows in food, but that’s not me today. Today I choose to make better choices. Today I choose to not give in. Today I choose to be a better me. Not for anyone else, but for me because I deserve it.” (And if you’re comfortable with swearing then get brutal with your negative thoughts.) “Fuck you, negativity. You don’t get me today. I have a goal and I’m GOING to reach it.”

Talking out loud helps change your thought processes. Bring positive talk into the equation and it helps with eliminating the negative thoughts.

Scenario; you had a bad cheat day, looked up and ate 5 slices of pizza, ate all the Oreos, ate all the ice cream and you feel that shitty feeling coming back of “here I go again.” And the spiral begins anew. Go to your mirror. Look yourself in the eyes and say OUT LOUD, “I have screwed up, but that does NOT mean I am a screw-up. Everyone makes mistakes. I’m getting back on track because I choose to not remain in negativity. I choose to do better, and I will.” (Again, if you’re comfortable swearing, get aggressive with your negativity.) “Fuck off, negativity! You won this battle but I’m winning the war because I can and I choose to.”

It was a revelation to me when I actually found out that I didn’t HAVE to wallow in misery. I could have a say in my own mental health and how I addressed my own thoughts. NEGATIVITY IS YOUR ENEMY. Surround yourself with positivity. Be honest with yourself and negative emotions and when bad things happen, but don’t dwell in the muck and mire. Get back up. Dust yourself off. You can do it.

You can do this. You got this.

(Wrote this on my mobile while my kids were swimming, sorry if format is poor. Plenty more detail to go into, but I hope someone out there finds this helpful.)

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[NSV] I ate healthy on a road trip!

I had to share this victory, because I went camping to a festival last weekend and I half expected by steady weight loss to stall. Camping and festival life is a trigger for me for all sorts of unhealthy behaviors - drinking, eating poorly on the road, stopping exercise. But I came out of this weekend feeling victorious!

I promised a friend I would accompany them to a festival ages ago, and when the time came I honestly wasn't thrilled to have to follow through. I had tons of stuff to finish at home and there was a heat advisory for the weekend. But my planning skills kept this weekend in a positive light for me!

Eve though we were driving all day, I didnt eat fast food. I planned the food I took so that I always had nuts, celery and beef jerky to eat. I kept myself from snacking in between meals, and even though the camp was serving communal breakfast and dinner and I didnt have control over what they fixed, I stayed on my low carb diet and focused on veggies only.

Not only that, but I packed my running shoes and actually followed through on running while I was there! I got up at 7 and ran a mile while my friend was still asleep.

Now that I'm back home, I weighed myself to see that my weightloss has continued and I'm 1 pound lighter than the day I left.

Planning ahead was huge for this. I planned on sticking with my diet and I planned on taking my running gear. I'm realizing that lack of planning is an excuse that I use, and now that I know I can always be prepared I feel so much more in control.

My friend has habits similar to my old ones and I see my old self in her. She got candy to eat on the road, she would get seconds of dinner to save "for later", she drank a lot of really sweet alcohol and suffered through hangovers. She is overweight but we don't discuss it. I am just happy I no longer have the same habits.

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Exciting New Mindset!

I've been successfully losing weight since last November. I am down 62.5 lbs so far and have noticed that not only do I look like a different person, I feel like a different person as well. My entire mindset around food has changed. I've also been actively working to education myself on nutrition and finding out what foods my body runs best on. I'd bounced between overweight and obese since high school. I'd never intentionally lost weight before, it always just kind of happened when I got extremely busy in high school or college and didn't have time to eat and snack constantly. For some reason I never connected the two until years later, though, so I fell victim to the common fatlogic trope of "I've always been big, so I'll always be big."

I realize now that so much of that had to do with my relationship with food. I am a comfort eater, and a boredom eater, and a foodie. When I lived in Boston I gained 20lbs in a year from a combination of the availability of any food (delivery at 2am during a panic-fueled essay writing session? Yes, please!) and the number of amazing new restaurants and foods to try (new restaurant every week because I want to try every cuisine ever invented? Yes, please!). I had no sense of portion control and would feel the need to eat everything so I wasn't wasting money. Even if I didn't love it, I didn't want to be wasteful.

Since starting my weight loss journey though, I've learned to completely reevaluate how I feel about food. These are just the things I've found that worked for me and have come about organically as I count calories and learn more about nutrition!

1.) Eating is not an all-day event anymore: I no longer eat from the time I wake up until I run out of chips just before bed, but have structured meal/snack times that keep me energized and ready for work/exercise.

2.) Quality over quantity: You can pry pizza out of my cold dead hands. But now, I opt for the small size goat cheese and shrimp pizza every couple of months and make it my one meal of the day (I split it with my husband, so I'm still not eating an entire pizza) with small snacks surrounding it (mostly fresh fruit/veggies) instead of the 2 medium pizzas for 5.99 each deal from dominos once a week.

3.) Leftovers are not necessary: I don't always have to take home my leftovers and eat them "the next day." Mainly because I never would eat them the next day. I would wait an hour or two after getting home, then polish them off the same night. If it was a truly fantastic meal that I know can fit into my calorie allowance the next day, then yeah I'll take what I didn't eat home. If I don't feel like I need them, though, I don't take them.

4.) Portions are crazy now: We took my mother-in-law to our favorite Hibachi place last night. My husband and I haven't been in months. We got our usual (combo special for two, which includes Hibachi lobster, scallops, filet mignon, and chicken over rice and veg). I used to be able to polish off my entire portion in one night, without a problem. Last night I could barely eat the rice, and while I finished most of the protein, it left me so full that I still have like 4 servings of rice left. I did deem these leftovers good enough to take home, but didn't realize how much rice they give you! I measured out 1/2 cup for my lunch today, and it was the smallest dent in the rice mountain. I have a feeling I will not be able to finish it all, and that's okay!

5.) Alcohol: I love wine. I drank too much wine on a weekly basis before really looking into how many calories were in my favorite bottle of Malbec. I know many people choose to cut out alcohol completely while losing weight, and that's great! I have decided to just limit my intake. I only really drink when I go out to eat as I love pairing a good wine with a good meal. I only really go out to eat once every couple of weeks. I also found that since I'm eating less to lose weight, I have to be careful about how much I drink! I have gotten tipsy off of one glass of wine recently. It's definitely nice to realize that I love relaxing with a good glass of tea as much as a good glass of wine at the end of the night!

Overall, it's been an exciting journey so far and I'm learning to love and enjoy food, without overdoing it!

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Found out what people thought of my appearance after I lost weight

Finally decided to post in this community because you all helped me a lot as a lurker and reading your posts. I thought maybe you guys will find this funny. After finally reaching my goal weight weeks ago (~130lbs (59kg) from ~170lbs(77kg) at 5'3) , I will tell you guys my journey:

I ballooned in university. My family, especially my mother was not happy. Both of my parents were obese too, but they didn't want me to turn out like them. Besides my mother no one ever said anything about my weight directly except me and when I did, my friends reassured me I was fine and average. Maybe few older generations here and there, but socially there was no direct negative impact so I could ignore my weight insecurities. After graduating and working I noticed I was the biggest around my other south-asian friends and my cousins. Another few insecurities and my mom started getting louder as she herself got a trainer and started losing weight....she was approaching my weight and I said enough was enough.

I had moved out for a contract position and the town was dead in winter, so I could focus on developing healthy habits. I also didn't visit a lot of people during this time due to winter road conditions. My co-workers were all health-conscious people too. Summer comes, start visiting old family and friends more, and my god the reactions were insane. Everyone, I mean everyone was commenting positively. Proud moments:

1. My mom said I don't look fat anymore. Dad got motivated to lose weight too since everyone in the family started getting on the health-band wagon. Veggies finally got introduced weekly in our household. Mom asks me every week what is my weight, what have I done to stay active, etc etc., cause she wants me to maintain it. She herself lost weight and is now at my original weight. So less vocal, but you know...moms.
2. I went to events my moms friends held and almost after every event my mom would tell me her friends were proud of my weight loss and really happy for me.
3. My moms friend who is blunt and straightforward came forward that said my face had changed for the better and I used to be so fat before so thank god I lost it. She was so happy for me. Other less-forward friends said along the lines "you used to be pretty before too, but now you shine and look prettier".
4. At the beginning of my journey: Friends grandma screamed across the living room across all the ladies that were sitting after I had passed the living room that "(sketchmetoo mom) your daughter has lost weight?!!!!"). My mom told this to be after the party and also added on that her other friend replied "not that much though". Recently, friends grandma saw me and with such purity and grace she was so happy I lose weight like I was her daughter who had provided her a grandchild or something.
5. My friends pointed out I lost weight without me mentioning anything, especially the ones were trying to lose weight too. One asked what method I used and if it worked which her sister immediately snapped a reply "Of course it worked, look at her!"
6. No longer the fat cousin and mom tells me when my relatives see my pictures they call/message her and let her know how happy they are.
7. One friend said I used to look voluminous, but now I look fine. She and I never talked about weight before, but when she met me after so many months she was flabbergasted.
8. Co-workers who came back from vacation noticed a difference too and pointed it out :D (I realized now that I was the biggest in my department too)
9. Finally mom is pissed: She brought a bunch of size 12 clothes as she had lost faith in me few months before my weight loss, now she is like "WE HAVE TO TAILOR EVERYTHING? Nothing I brought fits you anymore". But then catches herself and says its a good problem to have.

In the end, no one said anything negative about my weight-loss, but I was surprised how many people were "aware" I was overweight and just were nice and never said anything.

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