My biggest mistake was checking the scale

So back story, I’m 35M, have been overweight (hovered around the 340lbs mark) since my early-20’s, and most recently peaked at 356lbs back in May. I had tried different diets, exercise regimens, etc to no avail, but this past summer something clicked. I started to give myself a monthly “allowance,” and put the rest towards debt, savings, etc., and suddenly had less money to blow on junk food. The end result was me watching what I eat (way easier when you’re actually cooking your own food), and getting into a good, healthy groove.
There was no specific plan, I laid off the things I knew were bad, eliminated most processed foods (I would enjoy an occasional outing with friends), and started actually eating normal-sized portions. I drank a ton of water to curb cravings, and made sure to eat fewer carbs and more proteins/fiber to help with that. This led to me feeling better, which led to exercising. I started walking my dogs a lot more instead of just letting them out in the yard, and did a spin workout three times a week. That was it, nothing crazy. The whole time I didn’t check the scale, but noticed clothes fitting looser and my overall cardio stamina was much better. After heading back to work a few weeks back (I’m a teacher), several of my coworkers had commented on my appearance. After a conversation with one, he suggested I check the scale to see how much weight I’ve dropped, and two weeks ago I finally did. It read 310lbs, I had dropped 46lbs since late May. The problem is that the past 10 days have been bad. BAD. I feel like I’ve completely “fallen off the wagon,” and it’s all because I see the weight loss and decide that it’s ok to “celebrate.” There were also plenty of stressors at work (teacher...), and I know I’ll be fine and right the ship, but I’m amazed at how much looking at scale affected my approach. I know this seems counterproductive, but I suppose I’m writing this to inform others that everything you read here is not dogma. You may be like me and not have the discipline to look at the scale regularly, and that’s ok. We know what healthy food looks like, we know what unhealthy food looks like, try to get into the flow of things, and find what works for you. I know I’m in the minority with this, but this is the most successful I’ve ever been with weight loss, and it’s because I’ve rejected a critical element.

TL;DR Experienced successful weight loss for first time by not looking at the scale because I’m weird.

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First step to succeeding

I’m really happy because finally someone noticed my weight loss (my dad). It was kind of up and down and gradual so maybe it’s hard to tell? But from my heaviest weight, I lost 7 kg. I never thought I would be able to do this because I would always starve myself then binge and have this awful cycle that made me balloon up to an atrocious size.

I’m just so happy I’m finding health again and it’s not like I’m being so strict. Just keeping a calorie deficit and still eating a piece of chocolate or an indulgent granola bar or whatever random snack here and there. However I do have the same lunch and breakfast everyday. A little more relaxed on the dinners.

I hope I continue to make progress and implement more healthy behaviours and move around even more. :))

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Not sure how and when to start

Hi, this is my first post on r/loseit after a long time of lurking. It’s wonderful to see so many glorious people doing great things for their health and happiness!

I myself am struggling. I am 5’1” and 220 lbs, my all time highest. I have joint issues, mental health issues, and fertility problems due to my weight, and I want nothing more than to be healthy and happy in my own skin, but I’m terrified.

It feels like food is one of the only things that makes me feel better anymore. Every time I “diet”, I do extremely well for a few days, maybe even a week, before I get depressed and binge eat until I feel disgusting again. I feel like I can’t get over this mental hurdle.

Has anyone overcome this type of situation, and how? Any tips to make my weight loss journey easier?

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Just want to share in the only place I can that I’ve reached a goal weight I thought was impossible

I’m a 5’5 female and was 156 at my heaviest. Today I stepped on the scale and for the first time since middle school the number was under 130. I still feel overweight but I keep punching the numbers in and I’m starting to believe it when they say I’m not.

I know it doesn’t sound that drastic but I honestly was in a really fucking dark place 15 pounds ago. People really do treat you differently when you’re thinner. I still have a lot of body issues and I’m terrified I’ll gain it all back but I am really starting to feel pretty. I can’t tell anyone I know irl about my weight loss because I don’t want to trigger anyone who might have an ED and I don’t know it but I thought this might be the one place I can share.

If someone had explained CICO to me sooner my life would have been so much easier.

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Weight Loss Plateau

This is my first post here!

I've been on a weight loss journey for roughly 10 months. I had started at 195 lbs and I am a 28 year old 5'7" male. I have lost nearly 50 lbs and I am currently at 147 lbs with 10-14% body fat. I've been weight lifting on and off since I was 16 years old, and recently got back into it in the past 10 months. My weight loss had been consistent up until 1.5-2 months ago.

I had started losing weight at 1700 calories when I started, and readjusted multiple times. I have been eating 1400-1450 calories per day and I have not been able to get under 147 lbs for 2 months or so now. I train 4 days per week following a PPL routine (Once per week) and a calves/ab day.

The mean of multiple online calculators of my TDEE is 1935 calories, including a sedentary lifestyle (Desk job) and I had entered 30 minutes of activity 3 times a week (For the sake of accuracy, although I go to the gym religiously 4 days a week). This would mean a 500 calorie deficit per day, or 3500 per week - weekend where I eat up to TDEE, so roughly 2500 calorie deficit per week. I do not drink soda nor alcohol, and I do not binge eat although my cheat meal typically consists of 1 large meal on Saturday (Calorie counted to under my TDEE of 1935 calories) or a home cooked meal which lasts Saturday and Sunday (Totaling less than my TDEE).

I am curious as to why I have plateaued. I have started eating at 1710 calories per day as of 10/1/2019 to attempt to break the plateau and up-regulate my hormones in case that is the cause. My days prior to the upping of calories consisted of the following (This is daily, and consistent):

1 Quest bar - 180 calories

2 slices Nature's Own Life - Whole Grain Sugar Free Bread - 100 calories

Myogenix Aftershock protein - 280 calories

Smoked Deli Turkey - 4 slices - 120 calories

1 slice of Sargento swiss cheese - 70 calories

1 Dannon - Lite and fit Blueberry Yogurt - 80 calories

Oatmeal - Apples & Cinnamon - 2 packets - 260 calories (Just switched to lower sugar version of this on 10/1/2019)

Grilled chicken breast - 4 oz - 150 calories

Uncle Ben's - Whole Grain Ready Rice, 1/2 package (1 cup) - 190 calories

​

This works out to 1430 calories, 191 carbs, 26 fat, 133 protein

​

I will be eating at 1710 calories for the next 2 weeks to attempt to break this plateau. Does anybody have any insight as to why I have stalled on my weight loss? If it is something glaringly obvious, please let me know. I am not too concerned as I am beyond happy with my progress (10-14% body fat) but I am curious as to why this has happened. I have searched online, but typically it is stated that people are miscounting calories. I have also recently had a blood test and everything has come back normal with testosterone at 550ish. Thyroid hormones have come back in the normal range as well. I have in fact noticed slight progress in the mirror, but not 2 months worth of progress.

​

Thanks!

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Upping my calories has made eating at deficit so much easier

27(F) / 5’3” / CW: 154lb

The NHS BMI checker recommends I eat 1500-1900 cal daily (“to lose 1-2lb a week, eat at the lower end of the scale”). For several months, I was eating...or at least, attempting to eat, 1500 cal a day.

It went...inconsistently. I’m sure a lot of you know the struggle. Some days you feel great and like eating well is easy peasy, other days you’re feeling hungry and restricted and you’re bitterly clawing back whatever calories you can from your pre-logged dinner in order to make room for dessert.

I was losing weight on 1500, but I was also finding that I was binging maybe once every week-and-a-half purely out of frustration.

I came to realise that I might be being too harsh with 1500cal. I know 1500cal is something of a go-to number for women looking to lose weight, and as a short AFAB-nonbinary person 1500 felt like it should have been fine. I mean, it was doable, but somedays I was having to fight myself so hard and could not keep food out of my head, and of course I was working against myself with the binges as well.

So I changed my MFP goals, switching my Activity level from Sedentary to Active, and changing my Goal to “lose 1lb a week” instead of lose 2lb. My daily cals went up to 1760, which is still roughly in the middle of the ballpark offered to me by the NHS website.

The trade-off, I decided, was that I was going to live up to that “Active” marker. I’ve been more consistent with the gym, because I know I’ll be losing less through my diet and want to keep my progress going.

The first week of eating 1760, I still lost 2lb. It’s too early to tell exactly how my weight loss has been impacted by the change: the second week I was back up 2lb, but it’s shark week and I definitely haven’t eaten 7000 surplus calories since last week, so I know the scale’s a lying motherfuck.

But the MENTAL change has been awesome. I’m still eating at deficit, albeit a smaller one than before, but I’ve felt great these two weeks. Staying in the green on MFP has been easy. I’m no longer depriving myself of Calcium like I was before because I have more room for a daily serving of milk and that tasty but high calorie friend, cheese. I still get hungry towards the end of my shift, as you do, but I haven’t been obsessing over food like I have been.

If I haven’t prelogged all my meals for the day, I don’t stress over what I’m going to eat later in the day, because I know I have the wiggle room to make filling, healthy meals AND have a small dessert, without having to slither off as many calories as I can to make it fit. ...And working out more has been a breeze because I HAVE MORE ENERGY FOR IT.

Taking longer to reach my goals is fine if it means I can let my healthy eating take a backseat in my life, instead of obsessing about it or feeling chained by it. If you’re eating at a large deficit and you too have been feeling stressed or frustrated over your diet—if you’re in it for the long-haul and are okay with maybe hitting your goals a little slower, I’m just saying MAYBE consider giving yourself a break and upping your calories a tad. And then throw your sneakers on and go crush that Stairmaster.

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boobs shrunk with weight loss, will they come back with weight gain?? Please help:(

Hi. I always had body image issues, and this has been a tough one to wrap my head around. 2 years ago, I was a 32D cup. I lost about 15-20 pounds since then, and now I am a B cup. It has been killing my confidence, and now I find myself depressed over this loss. I wanted to lose weight, but not at this expense. If I was to gain the weight back, how likely is it that it will return to my breasts, given that they were bigger before? Does anyone have experience with this!?

I am 24 years old now, and was 22 when I had the body I wish I still had.

Please help! I know these are first world problems, but it kills my confidence. My boyfriend says he doesn't care and that he loves my body, but I know he's just being nice.

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