Feeling on track again! (Highest 195, today 152)

(F/27/5'6" - HW 195+, CW 152, GW 135)

I'm new to the sub but have been lurking for a few weeks now and it's been amazing to scroll in the morning or before bed to stay focused on my goals!

This is my first post and I wanted to share my story a bit and where I am today. Sorry, it's a tad long but I haven't laid it out like this before!

Since grade 3, I've been the bigger girl. Emotional eating is what got me and not having a good understanding of health and wellness until much later in my life. My journey with weight loss has been, like most other, a roller coaster. I was my heaviest when I was 16, nearing 200lbs, and I generally stayed in the realm of 175-180. Grade school and university were tough in many ways. I had a great social life but dating wasn't a thing for me and it took me years to feel confident in my skin.

Around 5/6 years ago, I started going to the gym regularly, eating better and being mindful about calories. But alas, I got into an unhealthy relationship where the weight started piling back and it wasn't until we split that I got the motivation to get my health in check again

Around that time, I lost around 30lbs, found a lot of love for myself, felt confident, and worked a ton on my mental health. But recently I realized how complacent I became. While I did lose weight, I didn't reach my goals. I got to a place where I was like meh, this is good enough. I stopped watching what I ate, being active (mainly due to fears of hurting myself from an injury that took me out of the weight room), and participating in health conversations which I remembered was so important as it held me accountable and made me feel proud of the work I was putting it.

About 2 and half weeks ago I realized I was compartmentalizing my life. Due to other stressors, I was like okay I'll go to the gym again or cook healthy meals more when this, this, and this fall into place. I realized frankly how dumb that is because I wasn't giving the proper energy or care to my wellness. I remembered how happy and good I felt when I was taking care of myself and eating a bag of chips for dinner was not helping me. It was my wake up call.

The next day I weight myself, did a meditation, completed a workout video and started tracking my food. 16 days later of semi IF, CICO, and a little bit of added activity, and reducing alcohol intake, I have gone from 160.8 to 152.8 (8lbs down). I have a goal of reaching between 135lbs to 140lbs by new years which I feel is realistic and healthy.

Some days have been hard with folks telling me I dont have that much to lose, because I'm not overly overweight but I'm done with being complacent with my health. I want to be the best version of me and since I've always been a tad heavier, I want to know what it looks and feels like to be a slimmer and fitter version of me! It has felt so good to be focused again, have goals, and be cultivating a new me to love.

Will continue to lurk and be motivated by all the wonderful self-care and hardworking folks out there, so thank you!!

:)

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What I learned after returning to CICO for 2 weeks after going off the rails for 3 months.

I always read and never post. I felt like writing out an overview of my journey today just to lay it all out. I don't talk much about my weight loss, except to myself in my head.

Height: 5'5"
HW: 243
Age: 22

I lost my only sister in March due to gun violence. I didn't want to open with that, but there it is. Towards the end of her life, she always encouraged me to eat healthier and abandon the fast food habits that we were raised with. I never really listened. Food is simply too good, exercise is annoying, and I figured I had "time" to fix my weight in the future.

I'm very all or nothing when it comes to weight loss. I was always an overweight kid. I've done crash diets all throughout high school, joined sports teams, and when it didn't work I decided to be fat (and happy) forever. Fast forward to 22, I am squeezing into my men's large shirts wishing that I could be my high school "fat" weight of 160-170.

After a month of eating my grief, I started my weight loss journey mid-April 2019. I kicked it off by buying myself an Apple Watch and convinced myself that the impulse purchase wasn't frivolous because the watch would help me lose weight. It was a decent justification. The watch helps me track my day-to-day activity levels and time my running workouts.

I went HARD. Jogging multiple times a week, running two 5K races, and aiming for daily intake at 1200 calories (almost always went over due to Noom adding my Apple Watch activity calories). I also experimented with IF. I went from 243 to my lowest of 211.6 on June 12 for a total loss of ~32 pounds. My clothes finally fit me. I started taking/posting pictures of myself for the first time in forever.

Great, until I went on a 2-week Europe trip where I ate *everything*. I honestly tracked during the first week but by the time I had come home, I quit my healthy lifestyle. I spent the rest of the summer with extended family eating more junk and reverting my progress. Yet, I was terrified to step on a scale to see just how badly I had undone my weight loss. I felt my clothes getting tighter again, didn't need a belt on my pants anymore, and felt my double chin returning again. Still, I felt like I needed to be eating all day to be satisfied.

I decided that I was sick of being unattractive and needed to get this shit under control once and for all. Facing my fear, I weighed in on Sept. 21st at 226.2 pounds. Thinking, "Wow, I guess I didn't undo *all* of it." Just +15 pounds from my lowest weight.

I proceeded with CICO for a week, stepped on the scale again (Sept 27th), and was at 216.4. 10 pounds of mostly water weight gone, so I'm now 5 pounds from where I left off in the summer. I was ecstatic.

Then yesterday, I weighed in at 215.2 pounds and I am not mad at myself at all for only losing 1 pound this week. Slow progress is still progress. I'm trending downward, at least! I didn't gain back my first-week woosh of 10 pounds. Right now, I'm looking at the loss as more of an average of 5 pounds for my first two weeks which makes my 1 pound loss this week much more satisfying. I also jogged 3.1 miles 3 days before my latest weigh-in and was still kind of sore so I probably retained a bit of water.

Every failed attempt at weight loss throughout the years has helped me prepare to get to this point. If I stick with it today, I will be closer to where I want to be in a month, guaranteed. If I don't stick to it, I will binge eat copious amounts of junk for a month while thinking of what my progress could have been.

I also learned that I probably shouldn't eat back all of the exercise calories that my Apple Watch adds for me. I've been eating 1600-1800 calories a day and still falling within my daily intake goals, according to Noom. However, I'm now going to aim for 1200 a day and hopefully fall under 1500.

My new goal is to stick to CICO until Thanksgiving and allow myself to not track for that meal/day, then jump back on the loseit train the next day.

One final note, I realized that I do this thing where I fall asleep, wake up to use the bathroom, and have this extreme urge to eat instead of going right back to sleep. One night, I had a bowl of cereal with a banana. Another night, I ate 3 mini Reeses cups. I have been tracking those calories into my next day's allotment.

Thanks for reading, I hope y'all have a good day and continue to make smart health decisions.

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I started 8 days ago. I think it’s finally happening.

I started my weight loss journey 8 days ago. It’s more like, slowly working in healthy habits so I can loose weight gradually versus a sudden drop from going to an extreme. 8 days ago, I started walking. I walk 2-3 miles a day sometimes, and on busier days I can’t do much, I’ve squeezed in 15 minute walks. I decided everyday I’ll exercise even if it’s a short walk around the block. I have been eating about 1500 calories a day (my limit is 1700 but I eat healthy, full meals so I never really got to 1700) and I have a few bad snacks here and there to control my binging. I track myself on my fitness pal and it helps so much.

It’s crazy to think what 8 days can do. On day 1, I was fighting urges to eat junk food and it was hard, but a week later and today I went into the grocery store and nothing tempted me. Sure, I’ll have some chocolate here and there but I feel like something has finally clicked. After years of battling with my weight from 14 to 19(I’m 19 now), I honestly feel like my time has come. No excuses, no limits, I’m just going to do it and I’m going to kick ass. I’m going to start going to the gym with my sister soon and I’m excited. These walks have really helped too. The last week I’ve felt my mood improve tremendously.

I’m so excited to see what the future holds. I can’t wait to see where I’ll be in 6 months. This is my time.

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6 Fresh Recipes Starring Asparagus

There’s something about asparagus that makes a meal feel special. Maybe it’s because it’s such a classic side at fancy steakhouses, or maybe it’s just the intricate look of the tips of each spear. No matter the reason, a side of asparagus can turn a simple dinner into an occasion. We’ve compiled six diet-friendly asparagus recipes so that you can make any plate extra special (and healthy)!

This fancy green veggie isn’t a splurge for your weight loss plan. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, ten asparagus spears have just 40 calories and almost as much protein as an egg. Don’t wait for a special occasion and pile some asparagus onto your plate. With these tasty asparagus recipes, you’ll never run out of ideas featuring these super spears.

A Love Letter to Asparagus: Why We Can’t Get Enough of This Veggie

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Here are six fresh recipes featuring asparagus:

1. Asparagus Egg Toast >

Calories per serving: 228

On Nutrisystem, counts as: 1 SmartCarb, 1 PowerFuel, 1 Vegetable and 1 Extra

With asparagus, avocado and a poached egg, this toast feels like fancy breakfast fare from a high-end buffet. But don’t be fooled! It’s a cinch to make for an at-home weekend brunch that you and your family will love. Pop your bread in the toaster while grilling asparagus in a pan for about four minutes. Meanwhile, poach an egg in water for that runny yolk that coats all the other ingredients with deliciousness. Mash some avocado on the toast and pile on the veggies and egg. You’ve got a decadent breakfast worthy of a chef’s table, all for 228 calories.

2. Asparagus Caprese Salad >

Calories per serving: 138

On Nutrisystem, counts as: 1 PowerFuel, 1 Vegetable and 1 Extra

Caprese salad is already a colorful way to add a side that’s bursting with flavor and creaminess. Give it a little more oomph: Add in some two-inch pieces of lightly boiled asparagus for an extra kick of green that makes this side even more substantial. Ready in just minutes, this side is a fast, fresh way to add some veggies to every meal. At just 138 tiny calories per serving, it’s as friendly for your weight loss plan as it is for your taste buds.

3. Grilled Asparagus Caesar Salad >

Calories per serving: 151

On Nutrisystem, counts as: 1 PowerFuel, 1/2 Vegetable and 2 Extras

When you’re losing weight, salads are a no-brainer. They’re low in calories, high in fiber and full of nutrition that your body needs to stay energized and healthy. However, they can also get boring. Here’s one solution: Swap out the lettuce for another unlimited green—asparagus! This salad uses grilled asparagus in place of romaine and adds in everything else you love about Caesar salad. Parmesan cheese, croutons and an easy-to-make, creamy Caesar dressing that features protein from nonfat Greek yogurt. It’s a fun, filling way to change up your salad game and still stay on plan.

10 Green Foods to Add to Your Diet ASAP

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4. Shrimp Pasta with Garlic Asparagus >

Calories per serving: 274

On Nutrisystem, counts as: 1 PowerFuel, 1 SmartCarb, 1 Vegetable and 1 Extra

Talk about feeling fancy! This fresh, flavorful plate would fit in perfectly at a five-star lunch. You can whip it up in less than 10 minutes and almost completely in a single pan. After heating some oil with lemon zest and lemon juice, you’ll sauté bite-sized asparagus pieces for just two minutes. Add shrimp and garlic to the pan and cook for five more minutes before blending in cooked bowtie pasta, Parmesan cheese and some chopped basil for even more fresh flavor.

5. Pistachio-Crusted Salmon with Asparagus & Rice >

Calories per serving: 340

On Nutrisystem, counts as: 1 SmartCarb, 2 PowerFuels, 1 Vegetable and 1 Extra

Having guests for dinner? Impress them with this pistachio-crusted salmon. Just don’t tell them how easy it was to make this fancy restaurant-worthy dish. With a “glue” of Dijon mustard and lemon juice, the pieces of pistachio stick easily to the salmon. After about 20 minutes in the oven, the fish is crusted and ready to be plated. Served with sides of sautéed asparagus and brown rice, you’ve got a restaurant-quality meal that feels like a splurge. At just 340 calories, this meal will keep you on plan and even leaves room for dessert.

6. Roasted Asparagus >

On Nutrisystem, counts as: 1 Vegetable

Of course, it doesn’t have to be a dinner party to enjoy the flavor of asparagus. You don’t even have to cook a whole meal! By simply roasting asparagus spears, you can create a simple side that pairs perfectly with any Nutrisystem dinner entree. Watch this short video to see how you can add asparagus spears to your regular veggie rotation and get in some of your daily vegetable servings.

6 Sneaky Ways You’re Ruining Your Veggies

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Help! Muscle Gain vs Weight Loss messing with my head

I’m 33F, 156 cm, SW: 72 kg, CW: 62 kg, GW: 52 kg (Imperial: 33F, 5’1.5”, SW: 159 lbs, CW: 137 lbs, GW: 115 lbs)

Jumped on the weight loss and fitness train last May due to longstanding health issues. I’ve been losing weight which is great, but am currently in a plateau which is messing with my head, coupled with my latest InBody results. I know InBody isn’t deemed accurate but it’s what I have to work with and I can’t justify the cost of a DEXA scan when it’s obvious I still have a lot of fat left to lose. Aside from that, the InBody results closely align with my results using the Navy body fat percentage calculator so it’s good enough for me.

My InBody Results: https://i.imgur.com/NTRAiVa.jpg

Summary of Results:

May 7-June 1 I went from a gym-phobic couch potato to working with a personal trainer 2-3 times a week. Weights and HIIT galore. The first few weeks were rough and there were nights I couldn’t sleep from muscle pain.

Weight: 1.6 kg - 71.2 kg (-0.4 kg DOWN) *Skeletal Muscle Mass: *21.5 - 22.6 (+1.1 kg UP) *Body Fat %: *45.5 - 42.1 (-3.4% DOWN)

I was pretty bummed that my weight loss was going super slow (not even a freaking pound!) but my clothes were undeniably looser and looking better on me. However, I was still eating more or less “normally” and wasn’t counting calories. It seems hard to believe that I gained over a kilo of muscle in less than a month, but if that were so, it could possibly because I have high testosterone levels from PCOS.

June 18 - August 30

Weight: 63.6 kg (-7.6 kg down from June 1)

Skeletal Muscle Mass: 21.0 (-1.6 kg down from June 1

Body Fat %: 39.3 (-2.8% down from June 1)

I started CICO mid-June (1200-1400 calories) and from then on was steadily losing weight at a good pace. I was also on vacation for a month and a half during that period without access to a gym or personal trainer and burned calories by walking everywhere. I use a Fitbit and aimed for a daily 1000 calorie deficit from TDEE. I was really happy with the results on the scale. However, when I came back from vacation at the end of August, the InBody scan showed that I had lost muscle and my body fat percentage had hardly moved downward! I was indeed flabby despite being slimmer so from September I decided to hit the gym hard.

I continued the 3x weekly sessions with my personal trainer and signed up for all sorts of cardio classes 5-6x a week—spinning, Zumba, trampoline, etc. in addition to taking the stairs, brisk walking on the treadmill, and walking everywhere. I could see my muscles getting more definition and my husband is saying that my love handles are getting harder to grasp. I continued CICO but upped my calories to 1500-1800 because I was eating out more socially and was regularly hitting 2,600-3,000 calories burned from all the activity. However, instead of the 2.5-3 kg a month that I was supposed to lose according to my calculations, I only lost HALF a kilo!

This is a really sore point for me because I had lost 3 kg the month before with much less effort and activity. However, my most recent InBody Scan gave me some good news to offset the plateau:

Weight: 63.6 - 62.9 kg (-0.5 kg DOWN from Aug. 30)

Skeletal Muscle Mass: 21.0 - 22.0 (+1.0 kg UP Aug. 30)

Body Fat %: 39.3 - 35.5 (-3.8% DOWN from Aug. 30)

[TL;DR:] So now I feel like I’m in a conundrum: weight training combined with cardio and slightly increased calories seems to give me good results in terms of muscle gain and lowering of body fat percentage, but in return my weight loss halts to a glacial pace. On the other hand, CICO with cardio only results in significant weight loss, but negatively affects muscle mass and does not significantly lower body fat percentage. I was hoping to achieve goal weight around the end of the year but now that seems like a pipe dream... if I lose only half a kilo a month, it would take me nearly two years to achieve goal weight!

Or is it possible that my Fitbit and food scale are now suddenly wildly inaccurate and can no longer be trusted....

I really want to achieve goal weight as soon as possible. I’m not even at a healthy BMI yet! How to get out of this rut...

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I'm able to listen to my body

So this is my second major weight loss attempt this year and I just started 2 weeks ago. (First attempt was keto, and my body did not react well to it. I loved the diet though...) I've always had the mentality that I need to eat everything on my plate and nothing should go to waste. After spending a few days on this subreddit, I am trying to tell myself it is okay to throw away some food. Last night I went to eat one of my precooked dinners for the week and when I had 1/4 of the plate left, my body felt satisfied. And I didn't eat the rest. I was so proud of myself for such a small thing! This morning, I normally eat two bowls of cereal and after one, I just didn't feel like I needed another. Little victories like this are what keep me going.

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Lost 6 pounds in a month bc of CICO!! + insights and realizations

Just a warning that this’ll be a long post! Hi! I’ve been lurking on the subreddit and this is my first post hehe I’m so excited to share what I’ve learned! 20, Female, 5”6.1, 152 pounds. Target weight: 130 pounds.

I might be average height internationally but I’m pretty tall for a Filipino and I always felt I was the “fat friend”. All my girl friends are petite and thin. And my weight was always something that I’ve been insecure about especially when I compare myself to them. I was alright all through high school (was around 130 at my lightest) but I started gaining like crazy once I reached college. Having so much freedom and easy access to cheap junk food (my university is a haven for street food!), and being able to go wild with drinking, made me gain a grand total of 28 pounds. The worst thing is, I was totally in denial about it. I knew that some of my clothes weren’t starting to fit. I knew that my face was starting to look a bit chubbier every time I took a new profile picture. And you know about Asian relatives, every time my grandmother saw me, she’d say “you’re gaining weight”. Or “you’re so fat, what’s happening to you?” Which made me snack and eat even more just to piss her off.

One day, it hit me while I was eating lunch with my friends and one of them said that she wanted to gain weight, as she’s been underweight her entire life and it’s been one of her personal goals to go to a normal weight. My other friends, who were fitness junkies started giving her advice and I was so inspired by her, it made me start thinking about myself. I didn’t make the change yet though.

What really made me start on my weight loss journey was when I was staring at my face in the car mirror while stuck in traffic. I kept looking at myself and thinking about how bloated I looked, how I really let myself go and at that point, I barely even looked in the mirror because I hated my face so much. It was at this point that I was facetuning every single picture I was in- editing my jaws and cheeks so that I would look slimmer. I wanted to stop doing that. I wanted to look at myself in the mirror and feel beautiful again. I wanted to get rid of the need to facetune because I felt my face was so big.

I downloaded MyFitnessPal again because that was the app my parents used when they were losing weight. I also used it when losing weight for my prom in my junior year of high school (that was me at my lightest!). CICO has been so damn effective - I love it. It works with my lifestyle - as an engineering student and in the college student council, I barely have time to exercise since most of my time is spent in studying and in meetings so I just focus on eating less and at the right times. The first week was definitely the hardest though, not gonna lie. I was so used to eating a lot and I felt my stomach grumble so many times. But I powered through even with cheat days!

What really made me want to post is because we had a laboratory experiment where in we had to measure our BMI and our height and weight, stuff like that. I was so anxious about getting on a scale and I was so happy to find out that I managed to go from 158 to 152 in 30 days. Even better, on that day, one of my councilmates asked me if I was dieting because he noticed that I look thinner. I was so happy and we had a photoshoot on that day to promote one of the council’s mental health projects. When I looked over my photos, I didn’t feel the need to facetune it - for the first time in months.

I know it’s only been a month but here are the things I’m already learning: 1. Find the system that works for you. For me, it’s CICO because I’m really scared of keto and I can’t do intermittent fasting because I love eating all day lmao. I also have my phone in hand a lot so it’s no problem for me to plug in what I eat every time. In fact, I find it really fun! I love that I don’t feel like I truly have to give up any food, I just have to portion it well. Also, the fact that you have to plug in what you eat makes you really think if what you’re putting in your body is really worth it. So you end up eating less. 2. Find the exercise that works for you. Aside from having a busy schedule, I’ll admit it, I hate exercise. As in, I hate using the treadmill. I hate lifting weights and doing sit-ups, all that. I’ve never gone to the gym since we have exercise equipment at home. But, I actually do like using the stationary bike. And it burns more calories than going on the treadmill! To be honest, I mostly exercise just to have room to eat hahahah I do 1 hour and 30 minutes on my stationary bike when I can. And I’ve found a way to not get bored while doing it which leads me to number 3. 3. Exercise doesn’t need to be boring! I love watching Let’s Plays of video games on youtube since I spend most of my money on makeup and I don’t have enough to buy a console/video games. But I still love video games which is why I watch playthroughs and they’re usually like an hour long per video. I end up watching these videos while I exercise and the time just flies by. 4. A solid support system is everything. I’m also at this point because of my family and friends. I’m so happy that my parents have been nothing but supportive- my parents have stopped buying junk food for me and give me fruits to snack on. My friends have also started calorie counting! And when I found out I lost 6 pounds in that lab class, I told them and they congratulated me and one of them gave a thumbs up. I understand not everyone is as privileged as I am when it comes to having a support system but really, even one friend makes all the difference.

That’s all I have so far!! Thank you for letting me gush!

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