Plateaus suck!

F38yrs sw: 170lbs, cw: 128.5lbs. Started this round of wt loss June 2018.

I have lost weight through a combination of calorie counting, keeping an honest food log, regular exercise (I like to bicycle about hour a day 3-4 days a week), and the unrepeatable step of getting off my cancer meds (yay remission!).

Plateaus are a part of the weight loss journey. And I have hit one, holding steady at 125-130, just 10lbs from my goal (118lbs).

I have been following the usual recommendation of changing up my exercise routine: increased the time I have been riding and started riding in an area with more hills. I also added daily fiber, and increased my water intake. Still been holding steady for over a month! Gahhhh! I was hoping some of you would share what you did to push past a block, both for advice and just general encouragement.

Obligatory: I apologize for the poor formatting, on my mobile.

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

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/2V1YX4Z

[NSV] 730 days of food logging in a row. ＼(^o^)／

It's my 2 year logging streak on myfitnesspal, and I celebrated by logging a cosmic brownie. It was fantastic. I started using mfp a little bit after I found this sub. I had an account from ages ago, but if I'm honest, I didn't really think calorie counting worked until I came here. That said, calorie counting wasn't even the best thing I got here. No, the best thing I picked up from here was probably the advice, "Go slow, and add one new habit at a time". It's advice you see thrown around all the time, but you never really see the effect of until you're 730 days in, and you're just like "shit, when did I become a healthy person?"

As a bit of backstory, I grew up in a big family, and when I left for college and got a job, I was ecstatic. I was used to eating the barest minimum whatever bizarre concoction my mother cooked for dinner (zucchini-squash meatloaf as an example). But now, I could actually buy tasty food without it being filched by my 8394823 older siblings. So, I uh, went a bit overboard, as you tend to do. It didn't help that all the friends I made were either very tall men or badly overweight.

I gained weight slowly but steadily, and went from 130 pounds to 195 in 2.5 years. I was in complete denial. I used to google different measures of obesity and try to find one that didn't set me as in the overweight category. Somewhere around 175, my (now ex, obviously) bf told me he'd like me better if I lost 10 pounds, and my mother and sisters started trying to foist crash diets and "cleanses" on me, as well as constantly telling me how fat I'd gotten. I started exercising a lot, but I didn't start to truly panic until I went to a doctor in my senior year for what I thought was a kidney infection, and got told I possibly had diabetes (for context, I was 23, bmi of 28, and very active. There was almost 0 chance I had fullblown type 2 diabetes). That caused several prolonged panic attacks, which actually spurred me to think more seriously about my weight. It wasn't diabetes in the end and the doctor I went to for a second opinion laughed in my face, but it didn't really matter, as I already was determined.

I went into a depressive funk about my weight for about 6 months. I had tried logging (without a scale), I'd tried keto, I'd tried several weird crash diets, I'd tried running and exercising for hours. I just kept gaining despite all this, ultimately ending up around 194-195 in august of 2017. That's when I found loseit and that advice. So I decided to try logging again, but this time with weighing my food, and using a custom TDEE.

Then, as a second step, I said to myself, "why am I drinking all these (soda/coffee/juice) calories? I don't even enjoy them", so I swapped those out for bubbly water. A couple weeks later, I decided to add in a weight lifting program. I added the following changes one-by-one in increments of every few weeks:

• Cut eating out to twice a week, then once a week, then "occasionally". Picking healthier options when I do eat out.

• Switched to eating primarily lean proteins, and essentially cut buying my weaknesses: baguettes, hazelnut chocolate, and cheesecake.

• Added mindful eating to my snacking habits (stopping to think, "do I really want this", before eating something) and logging/weighing all my snacks.

• Started up loose IF, because I hate lunch and don't love breakfast.

• Started eating veggies every day (after I found ones I liked).

• Took up running for the sake of athleticism/heart health and took exercise calorie logging off mfp.

• Cut back on drinking and cut out binge drinking.

• Started putting away or throwing out food left on my plate when I was no longer hungry, even if it was budgeted.

• Started eating less/exercising more before a cheat meal, but not trying to compensate afterwords.

• Started replacing food as a reward mechanism with a list of other stuff.

There's other stuff, of course, I started trying to fix my sleep and I started going to therapy for anxiety, but those are the big ones.

I bring this all up, because July and August have been exceptionally rough for me. We lost a (young) member of our family, I got surgery and had to recover, I did some traveling, it's too hot to walk or run outside, and like 80% of my friends had birthdays. So, I went on a maintenance break for most of that time. After all that, I fell back into my routine this past week like nothing. I actually longed for going back to it. It may have taken me ages to get where I am, but damn it's ingrained as hell now. I even miss my salads when I don't eat veggies for a few days. It's just normal.

The crazy thing is that it doesn't seem that different than my old normal. I still eat the food I want, I still eat out with friends, and I still make nice cocktails to drink while gaming. I'm not perfect, and I don't think my weight loss or healthy habits will be, but I'm definitely a heck of a lot better.

I'm camera-shy (although I will post a final progress picture when I hit my ultimate goal weight), but I will include a picture of my accountability buddy/partner-in-crime.

I still want to hit my weight goal, but I'll get there. My next big habit (my last one was switching to eating out only "occasionally") is probably going to be working on hitting 7-8 hours of sleep consistently, and also probably going to start cutting back on sodium. And of course, keeping up my streak in myfitnesspal. :P

Also, final friendly reminder to check your body measurements if you're lifting weights or doing any resistance exercise. I lost like 5-8 inches off all mine, despite only losing 35lbs.

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

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/2NdXc3g

Down 21 Pounds in 23 Days! or... Yesterday’s “Oh Shit” is Today’s “Hell Yeah!”

I have a long way to go in my journey but I feel the need to share my sub-240 milestone for a reason. Sometime within the last year, I stepped on a scale and it said 240. My heart sank. I was beside myself. It was the heaviest I had been in my entire life and I swore to myself I would make a change. My girlfriend and I decided to run a half marathon, so we trained with some intensity for a few months. I ended up doing pretty well, somewhere in the top half of the results (about 3,000 runners), and I stopped looking at the scale. That goal had supplanted my weight loss goal and been achieved.

Three months after running that race, I was 260 pounds. Ho-ly shit.

I hired a personal trainer. I figured if I had a fiscal responsibility to stay on target, I would be more likely to succeed. So far, I was right. I’ve cut out starchy carbs and added sugars, cut my portions in half, stopped drinking, and work out as many days as I can every week. I don’t feel like I’m starving, I’m full of energy, and as of this morning, I’m under 240lbs.

The same numbers that inspired dread less than 12 months ago inspired elation today. All this to say success in weight loss and in life is personal and relative to your current self. Keep pushing and striving to better who you are now, and the things that bothered you in the past will cease to have power over you.

Love you all.

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

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/2ZR7kVP

5’5, 138, f- how many calories should I eat? Others with same stats, what is your weight loss process?

It doesn’t seem like I have a lot to lose but I am bottom heavy so I do need to shed some weight to feel comfortable (at least 10lbs). I have a desk job, do a little walking to get to public transportation and would like to start strength training with some light weights alternating some days with elliptical/walking on treadmill. How many calories should I stick to so that I have enough energy for work + working out on a daily basis but still lose weight? I am not focusing on too much muscle building so I don’t want to eat extreme portions of protein :) Does 1600 calories sound reasonable for my plan?

Would also like to hear if anyone else has similar stats, what are you doing to lose weight? How many calories? How much C/P/F? What are you eating typically in a day? What type of exercise? Thanks!

submitted by /u/GrainsOfSalt2019
[link] [comments]

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/34Fx5I6

7 Simple Stir-Fry Recipes That Are Anything but Boring

Stir frying, which is a Chinese cooking technique that involves cooking food in hot oil—traditionally in a wok—has become very popular in American culture. After all, it’s an easy way to prepare home-made meals that the whole family will enjoy. Of course, as with any dish or cooking style, the ingredients that you choose make all the difference in the health factor of your meal. While you may think that healthy stir-fry recipes might be lacking in flavor and creativity, we have created some that are anything but boring!

Here are seven stir-fry recipes that you have to try:

 1. Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry >

One of our favorite stir-fry recipes, Chicken and Broccoli is always going to be a classic. And our version is simple to make and will easily become a go-to recipe in your family. With a simple Asian-style sauce, juicy, bite-sized pieces of chicken and a nutritious blend of broccoli, bell peppers and onions, this is a complete meal that everyone will gobble up. Served with fiber-rich brown rice, it’ll also keep you feeling full and satisfied.

Easy One Pan Recipes for Busy Weeknights

Read More

2. Steak Stir-Fry with Grilled Peppers and Onions >

Trimmed flank steak marinated in a delicious sauce combined with crisp peppers and onions makes this a yummy stir-fry that will be sure to please. Plus, it has a lot of great nutrition. Bell peppers are loaded with vitamins, including vitamins A and C, as well as potassium and folic acid. Meanwhile, onions are a good source of vitamins C and B6 as well as iron and folate. Together, these veggies help make this meal a nutritional powerhouse—all served atop fiber-filled brown rice!

3. Tofu Stir-Fry with Savory Tahini Soy Sauce >

Your meatless stir-fry will be anything but boring when you use a flavor-filled sauce like our savory tahini soy sauce to spice it up. Tofu is the perfect lean protein for this delicious dish as it soaks up all the yummy flavors of our tasty sauce which is made from a blend of soy sauce, corn starch, garlic, ginger and—of course—tahini. In addition to being flavorful, tahini, which is made from ground sesame seeds, has many health benefits, including the fact that it is high in healthy fats and amino acids, and that it packs in magnesium, copper, iron and zinc, among other essential vitamins and minerals.

4. Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Pasta >

Often a restaurant favorite, Shrimp Scampi sounds like a lot of work to make at home. Well, that’s not the case at all with this simple one-pan meal we’ve put together. And since our version uses zucchini noodles instead of traditional pasta, it’s a lot healthier for you, too. After all, zucchini is incredibly low in calories, while also being rich in filling fiber. And, you may be surprised to learn that zucchini actually has more potassium than a banana. This is a recipe that you can only whip up in a pinch and can feel good about eating.

12 Easy Chicken Recipes You Need to Try

Read More

5. Cauliflower Fried Rice with Shrimp >

If you love fried rice but don’t want to load up on calories, then we’ve got the perfect substitution for you—Cauliflower Fried Rice with Shrimp. You may be skeptical, but trust us, it has all the flavor of delicious fried rice but is a whole lot better for you. Combined with mixed veggies, egg and shrimp, there is so much flavor in this meal that you’ll hardly realize you swapped out the rice for vitamin-rich cauliflower.

6. Asian Salmon Bowl with Cauliflower Rice >

This Asian-style dish combines heart-healthy salmon with delicious veggies like cucumber, green onion and carrots. Plus, it’s all served over a bed of healthy cauliflower rice as opposed to the starchy white rice traditionally used in Asian meals. It’s a great choice if you’re craving take-out but don’t want to get bogged down by all the fat and calories that come with it. Plus, you’ll feel good about whipping up this home-made dish on your own.

7. Sesame Garlic Shrimp Stir-Fry >

If you like shrimp, this might be your favorite of our stir-fry recipes, as it combines the succulent seafood with the rich flavors of garlic, sesame seeds, soy sauce and ginger. It’s easy to make and sure to become a family favorite in your household. And, when prepared in a healthy way, as this recipe is, shrimp can actually be quite good for you. This lean protein contains a variety of nutrients that people tend to lack including selenium, copper and niacin. It’s low in calories and tasty, too

The post 7 Simple Stir-Fry Recipes That Are Anything but Boring   appeared first on The Leaf.

from The Leaf https://ift.tt/2LctYfW

Having a difficult time staying motivated losing "vanity pounds"

I have reached a point, after being overweight for the better part of my life, and after losing most of that weight that I found unattractive, in which I have a normal BMI and I feel okay with how I look.

I have tried hard to keep getting as lean as possible, however, even after I have reached a level of comfort with how I look, in part out of curiosity, in part out of vanity, and in part because it feels good, sometimes, to just keep pushing. But every time I try to do this there seems to be a weight I can't go lower than without getting uncontrollable urges to just give up and eat the foods that I like, and either maintain or keep indulging until I gain back a little weight until I feel bad enough that I begin dieting again, and inevitably repeat this cycle.

I think I will never be able to get to the level of lean in which my six pack is showing without first changing my mentality, because I AM comfortable with my current state of weight, but a part of me wants to push further and doesn't know how to convince myself to deprive myself of all these tasty foods Ive earned after a long weight loss journey just for the sake of looking smoking hot. Does anybody else relate to this?!

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

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/2UPFVP2

Are you starting today?

Here is something that helped me start my weight loss journey. I started small. I started parking a little bit further from the store entrance. I started walking around the store a couple of times. "Oops! I forgot to get something I need to go back to the other side of the store!" I started pacing at work while I was waiting for a fax to go through or at the copier machine. I stoped eating sandwiches, and I only went for fast food once a week, now, I hardly ever go get fast food. I stopped drinking alcohol, I have healthy snacks, I eat one meal a day and I get out more and move more. I have dropped two pant sizes and feel better about myself. A big improvement for me, is I also forgive myself for my past and if I have a crappy day and eat fast food or over eat. Losing weight is a process and the weight is not going to melt away overnight.

We got this, we can do this!

Edit grammer

submitted by /u/Mom2mom_48
[link] [comments]

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/2LHJZMU