3 years of maintenance! (441 to 180 update w/ photos)

Hi, LoseIt! Wow, it has been a while. I've posted a few times in the past and received so much support from this incredible community. The few of you that I have spoken with on a regular basis have been my rock in my weak moments. I always like to begin my posts with a THANK YOU to this community. Wonderful, wonderful individuals.

This is a post to add to my on-going journey as we float in maintenance land. I began my weight loss adventure on June 15th, 2016. I began at 441 lbs. and was suffering through the misery of my binge eating disorder that was WAY out of control. Long story short, I was a opiate addict in my early 20s. When I lost everything and gave it up, I replaced it with food. Boom. I didn't even realize how quickly I had developed the binge eating disorder to cover up the underlying depression and anxiety. Therapy is not always necessary for everyone but my god do I ever recommend it. I owe my life to my therapist that kept me on tracks.

My primary diet that I followed was a keto based diet. I did not start out super low carb, but I worked my way down through the first few months. From 441 to 350, I kept my daily carb intake under 100. After that I stepped it down to 70. Once I hit the mid 200s I went full blast keto. The stank breath and all. I burned fat so fast I ended up losing the good ol' gallbladder in the process, but ever since then I've been healthier than ever. Blood work and all. Physically, at least. I was on 2 blood pressure medications and an acid-reflux medication. Borderline diabetic. Borderline stroke level blood pressure readings at times. None of that is an issue now. The human body is incredible. It really wants you to live.

Exercise basically consisted of cardio for 2 years. I never truly incorporated any weight-lifting into my workouts. I found yoga and other exercises that use your own body's resistance to become stronger. I'm also a very naturally anxious person, so yoga is calming and beneficial on many levels. Walks outside were preferred, but I did invest in a treadmill and used the hell out of it for a long time. I figured if I could sit on my couch and watch TV, I could walk and watch TV, too.

Mentally, I am still on the struggle bus with the whole "coping with extra skin" and "trying to see the new me in the mirror instead of the old me and being so self critical" part. It truly is a lot more difficult to overcome these obstacles than I ever anticipated. That being said, I try to be sure to not discount my accomplishments because I'm a skin flapping human. My extra skin doesn't define me and my stretch marks have all become white "beauty marks." Again, one of those things I tell myself to try and stay positive about it since skin removal surgery is not really an option for me.

ANYWHO, I thought I'd drop a good ol' update here. I pretty much live off of a normal CICO diet at this point to maintain. Keto was great for the fat burn but it was definitely not a lifelong thing that I intended to stick with. Ya boy loves a muffin way too much to give it up for the long haul. Maintenance is such an odd experience. That 10 lbs of fluctuation up and down every so often can really get to you if you let it. Being at a normal body weight for the first time in my entire life, I've never experienced it prior to the past year, but it does get easier with time. You find the little ways to indulge and enjoy things. It's all a balance. Yes, I can have this croissant for breakfast, but I don't get my dark chocolate at night as a snack. ALL things in balanced moderation. And a lot of willpower. I'd say that's the strongest muscle I have developed over time. Once you say no to things you want to say yes to over and over, you no longer struggle to say no. You just get it. I wish there was a better way to explain that part. Here is a quick little 5 photo album of my oldest body photo, my first selfie, and the updated me. Trust and believe when I say the extra skin is all over the place, it's just very well hidden. A bit uncomfortable at times, but hidden nonetheless. One day I'll stop caring so much about what I look like and focus more on how I feel.

Album link~ https://imgur.com/a/1T8mjis

Thanks again to everyone along the way for the support and giving me a place to find people who understood me when no one else in my life did. I love this place. I don't do these updates as often for myself anymore as I do for others. I am admittedly a very lazy guy. I mean, I'll clean the house, but I am LAZY. I love the couch. With my entire soul. If I can drop 260 lbs, you can, too. Anyone can do this. If there's anyone out there thinking that the struggle seems like it's too much effort or the goal is too far off in the distance, I'm here to tell you that you are good enough and it only takes a spark to create a fire. Please don't discount yourself because of where you currently are. Look at where you want to be and make it happen. No excuses. Willpower, a minimum of 30 minutes of walking a day, and a supportive group of friends can change your life.

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11 Hydrating Foods for Warm Weather Activities

It’s hot! Which means it’s easier than ever to get dehydrated. That can have consequences for your health and for your enjoyment of summer activities—exercising while dehydrated can result in dizziness and cramps, so it’s important to load up on hydrating foods. It can also effect your performance while you move: According to Human Kinetics, if you’re dehydrated as little as five percent, your workout’s “power output” can be reduced by 30 percent.

Staying hydrated can mean not just that your active summer activities are more fun, but also that your weight loss plan is more effective. One study published in the The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology &Metabolism found that when dieters drank two liters of water per day, they burned 400 extra calories each day—even if they didn’t change anything else. For men in the same study, those extra calories were specifically burned from belly fat.

You don’t have to actually drink a full two-liter to stay hydrated, though: You can get the water your body needs to function properly through hydrating foods. And, according to Science Daily, it can help you eat more while you lose: Scientists found that when people ate water-rich foods, they ate fewer calories without reducing the overall sizes of their meals.

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Here are 11 hydrating foods for warm weather activities:

1. Strawberries

Water content: 90%

One 50-calorie cup of strawberries can help lower your cholesterol and reduce your risk for diseases including cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. They also raise your risk of having a totally delicious summer. Try blitzing them into this Strawberry Mint Smoothie >, mixing them into Strawberry Popsicles >, or using them to top a refreshing Summer Salad >

2. Pineapple

Water content: 86%

Pineapple’s sweetness is suprisingly low-calorie: One cup has just 82 calories. But those 82 deliver 100 percent of your daily Vitamin C, as well as bromelain, an enzyme that can help you digest your meals more easily. Enjoy fresh rings or chunks, or for a sweet, refreshing treat that’s like a time-traveling trip back to childhood, try this simple, two-ingredient Pineapple Whip recipe >

3. Cucumbers

Water content: 95%

Cucumbers are one of the lowest-calorie foods you can find—clocking in at just 8 calories per cup. But low-calorie does not mean they’re low on flavor: Cukes are the ultimate way to deliver a refreshing, hydrating flavor to your barbecue guests. Whether it’s mixed into this Zesty Cucumber and Dill Salad >, whipped into this Greek-inspired 5-ingredient Cucumber Dill Dip >, or as the surprising base for a cucumber cup appetizer, you’ll be keeping your guests—and yourself—hydrated, full and satisfied.

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4. Skim Milk

Water content: 91%

When it’s skim, it’s almost all water. For non-dieting milk lovers, that can be a turnoff. But in the heat of summer, it makes skim a great, hydrating way to enjoy 9 grams of protein per cup when making a refreshing, cool-down smoothie— like this frothy, icy Lemon Cooler shake >. It’s summer perfection!

5. Zucchini

Water content: 94%

If you’re already a “zoodle” lover, this one’s a slam dunk. But for the uninitiated, here’s a crash course: By using a spiralizer, you can turn zucchini into “noodles” that freshen up vegetable dishes with a pasta-like eating experience that you’ll love. The great news for summer: Zoodles don’t have to be cooked! In a recipe like these Vegetarian Meatballs with Zucchini Noodles >, you can let the sauce warm up the raw zoodles to get the most hydration from the veggies with the least amount of labor—perfect for a quick summer dinner.

6. Oranges

Water content: 87%

There’s a reason these slices are on the sideline of every soccer game at the half: Oranges keep are a top pick for hydrating foods! But they also bring other nutrients along—like potassium, one of the electrolytes that’s lost when you sweat. So have your own slices on hand, or go for a more grown-up taste this summer: This 101-calorie Orange Carrot Ginger Smoothie > is a sweet, vitamin-rich, and refreshing glass that’s perfect for breakfast or for a late day snack on any hot day.

7. Celery

Water content: 95%

Here’s another potassium powerhouse: One cup of chopped celery has the same amount of the heart-healthy nutrient that you’d get from half a banana—but for just 14 tiny calories. But those little cals help beef up your favorite cool summer salads, from pasta dishes to chicken salad. Here’s a new favorite: Chop some celery to combine with another water-rich summer staple—watermelon—for this surprising, sweet and protein-packed Watermelon Chicken Salad > Sounds weird, tastes amazing!

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8. Tomatoes

Water content: 94%

Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant in tomatoes, may help lower your risk of stroke and certain cancers, according to Science Daily. And the redder your tomatoes are, the more lycopene they have—meaning summer is the healthiest time to eat ‘em. One surprising way to change up your tomato game: Add asparagus to the traditional Caprese Salad > for a fresh taste that feels luxurious—and adds a satisfying crunch to this staple summer side.

9. Edamame

Water content: 72%

This one’s surprising: With such a meaty texture, edamame doesn’t seem watery. But it’s got that hydration, and much more: like 18.46 grams of belly-filling, muscle-building protein per cup, and more potassium than you’ll get from two whole bananas. That’s good news in the heat, since eating more potassium can help reduce blood pressure risk, as well as your risk of stroke, according to the National Federation of Professional Trainers.

10. Carrots

Water content: 88%

Spending a few minutes turning a bag of raw carrots into pre-portioned, snack-ready containers or bags won’t just give you a low-calorie, high-fiber, water-rich source of food for when you get peckish. The act of cutting those carrots may also help you eat healthier overall: Those were the findings of one study, where more time spend on food prep was associated with healthier eating habits—and, as a bonus, with saving money on food. So you’ll be hydrated, feel full, and have fat where you want it—in your wallet.

11. Blueberries

Water content: 84%

What says summer like a cup of sweet, ripe blueberries (one of our favorite hydrating foods)? And they’re not just super good, but a superfood: Blueberries reduce the risk of heart attack in women by 33 percent, improve your memory, and can help widen your arteries so blood flows smoother. Have them fresh, or enjoy your blues in the smoothest way possible: As part of this super-simple, 5-ingredient homemade Blueberry Lemon Ice Cream Sundae >

*All water content percentages taken from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The post 11 Hydrating Foods for Warm Weather Activities appeared first on The Leaf.

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Updating my goal.

My current goal was a straight shot to 190 lbs. But after doing some reading, I've decided to set an immediate goal line of 275, or around 30 pounds. This is still quite a monumental effort as I haven't weighed that at any point in at least the last 12 years, but it's not so far as to seem discouraging. Also, once I get there I can do some work on maintaining the weight loss I achieved and make sure that I'm building some good muscle along with losing fat. I'm looking at reasons most weight loss attempts fail, and I think this is a good stop gap measure. My eventual goal is still to get to a healthy BMI, which for me would be a weight of 190, but for my first marker, I'm going to try 275, then maintain for several months. Wish me luck.

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Lost it; gained it back; losing it again

I'm writing this with the utmost humility and embarrassment.

5 years ago, thanks to tremendous hard work plus support and resources from places like /r/loseit, I lost ~70 pounds in under a year and ran my first half-marathon.

I had been aware of people who had rebounded and gained their weight back, but was pretty sure I wouldn't be one of them. Yet somehow ... I f*cked up bigtime and gained every single pound (plus an extra 15) back. It didn't even take that long -- maybe only 2 or 3 years.

Looking back, I can see where things went wrong:

- I didn't have a sustainable lifestyle. I lost those 70 pounds (in 7 months) thanks to an absurdly aggressive diet and exercise routine. After I reached my goal, I took my foot off the gas pedal entirely instead of just setting a nice maintainable cruising speed.

- No [offline] support. I'm not going to blame others for my failings, but I will say that my wife was pretty ambivalent about my initial efforts to get healthy, which made meal prep and planning activities more difficult.

- No monitoring. Despite not having a sustainable plan or great support, I really should have set a threshold (like gaining 15 pounds or one pants size) where crossing that red line means needing to get my act together. Or, for the sake of accountability, I should have authorized friends or family members to slap me upside the head if they see that I've messed up. I also should have kept up with logging food and weight into MyFitnessPal.

For what it's worth, I'm not blaming biology for anything. It wasn't a rebound because of rapid weight loss, or because of my body trying to get back to its natural weight. It was 100% about me screwing up.

For what it's worth, we started a fitness challenge at work 8 weeks ago. I won't win it, but I did use this as inspiration for improving my food and exercise habits. I've already lost a good deal of weight and am eating very responsibly and exercising almost every day.

If I'm lucky enough to succeed again, I'll be sure not to squander this gift a second time.

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"I F'ed Up" Friday (August 2, 2019)

(This post and future Friday posts are meant to highlight my mistakes in trying to find a healthy lifestyle, both in weight loss and healthy muscle gain. I have made many mistakes, so don't be like me and keep pushing back your weight/health goals due to errors in thought or practice.)

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https://i.imgur.com/28EaDUd.jpg

​

Oops: I didn't continue to count calories after initially losing weight.

​

Yea that was an oops: I assumed that I could control my caloric intake with intuition and stop tracking calories. By doing so I started to snack more, eat larger meals, eat more "rewarding" meals assuming that I was working off those calories at the gym. This resulted in a rebound in weight loss and limited my health goals.

​

How I fixed it: I had to restart my meal protocol and get back into tracking every meal, big or small. Not only to instill the habit of calorie tracking, but to find those moments where I could indulge a little in a healthy manner. The idea is to enjoy eating and reward yourself, but to do so in a healthy manner that leads towards your health goals. It's incredibly important to hold yourself accountable for the calories you ingest and exhaust, but try not to be burdened by it. Doing so can lead to eating disorders such as binging, under eating, etc depending on your health goals. Have a healthy psychological relationship with food.

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SV- Down 26 Pounds (-11.7%) in 40 Days and feeling great! BMI -3.6 Pts and 60% to my goal! Stats linked in post.

Before & After: https://i.redd.it/x25wbb11k1e31.jpg

Stats: https://i.redd.it/mif2noj0k1e31.jpg

Began with IF, then added Keto, then started exercising.

It all started just being tired one night and going to bed early - decided I'd try to fast until lunch and kept it going.

Energy is way up, I used to take a nap most days but since I cut carbs I feel less sluggish.

What worked for me was starting with intermittent fasting (IF) - I'm doing 16:8 and began with eating what I would normally eat during my 8 hour feeding window. That included fast food sometimes and desserts in the evening. I have young kids and had a bad habit of eating at night after they went to bed; cutting that out had an immediate impact for me.

Once I started losing some weight and feeling better I wanted to keep the momentum going and decided to eat healthier. I'm eating a lot more vegetables and greens now and am more conscious about what types of food I'm eating. I'm watching carbs, sugar and overall calories. I used to have a strong sweet tooth but have found since dieting my sugar cravings have diminished.

Only with the weight loss and extra energy was I able to begin cardio exercising. I have a treadmill in the house but was always too tired to use it. Now it helps as a release, and I'm finding it's much easier to walk/run for 30 minutes than it used to be.

Overall I feel much better, have more confidence and would encourage you all to find what works for you! Start small, get some small wins and build on that.

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Exercise fear

Okay, so I've been on a "weight loss journey" for about 3 months now and I'm down nearly 30lbs (sw 221, cw 194 5'7 22F). This is all by changing my diet with minimal exercise. I walk daily but rarely hit 10k steps and I do yoga when I feel like it (not often😫). I've never ever been someone who exercises, even in school PE I would sit and chat with friends instead of doing the exercise. I know I can continue losing weight just by maintaining the calorie deficit I'm in but the further I go on this journey the more and more I care about my health/fitness in general which is why I've scheduled a meeting with a local personal trainer. I'm going to see him on Monday to discuss the program/my goals etc but I am TERRIFIED to start. I've tried the gym and couldnt stick to it, I've tried couch25k and gave up after 3 weeks so my brain is saying "whats so different this time? you'll go twice then never again!" which is making me feel like I shouldn't even bother wasting the money trying (its not cheap). I'm also so scared of not being able to do any of the exercises. Like I say, I've NEVER exercised really so my fitness levels must be at absolute 0 and the thought of turning up to my group PT sessions and not being able to do anything makes me feel sick. I KNOW everyone has to start somewhere and I know I'll benefit from it and I'll learn lots as I progress and all that stuff but I'm just looking for some reassurance I guess? It's all very new and scary to me and I don't want to give up, I need to do this for my health. Help! 😭

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