Last summer I was 5’11” (well I am still am that tall) and over 250 lbs. and I decided to lose weight but didn’t really “know” how. I put that in quotes because I think we all understand at a basic level you need to eat less/exercise more, but there are obstacles in really getting it.
For me: I like food and eating a lot in one sitting. Also, I don’t work out. I bought a scale that’s wifi and zaps my weight right into a chart automatically (google fit). I just wanted to make progress, no matter how small, so I opted for just small changes to see the results.
First thing I decided was I would stop eating out and cook my own food/sack lunch it to work. Boom, progress I could see on a chart almost immediately. I couldn’t tell looking in the mirror so I really believe this wifi scale gave me the motivation and I use it daily but I lost 5 pounds the first month.
September 1st I was 250 pounds, I just kept going then I then plateaued for a week so I replaced food with other food. I didn’t go full healthy, I was shooting for MORE healthy. Not hard to do for me. I replaced steaks with chicken or potato salad with rice. I just kept doing this and it kept working.
Here is a weird thing about me, I don’t mind eating the exact same thing (almost) every single day. So when I made an improvement I really got a benefit from it because it wasn’t one meal….it was an everyday meal. I knew then, and I still know now, that it’s good to get nutrition from a lot of different sources but my rationale is the way I was eating before made me fat so that’s unhealthy too. So I kept marching on.
The problem came in when I didn’t get full. Some foods just don’t do it for me. Rice for example. I didn’t know then but I have since learned that there are foods with high satiety levels, as in they make you feel full. So I started just replacing my foods with foods that are high in satiety.
So I just kept replacing food until I am here now. January 8th this year I hit 200 lbs. and I am still going. I am aiming for 170 lbs. I even have a goal date now because I feel I am more knowledgeable about this now: May 13th. If I miss, oh well, it’s ok because I will still be much better off I just like doing this sort of thing.
This is what I eat everyday:
Breakfast: One steamed full broccoli (the whole thing), one huge potato cut into 16 pieces and air fried (so baked really, no oil), 2 roma tomatoes cut into 4 pieces each.
Lunch: 2 hard boiled eggs (I eat one when I get hungry then eat the other when it happens again).
Dinner: Quarter cup of chickpeas (because my scoop is 1/4 cup), one huge potato cut into 16 pieces and air fried (no oil), 2 roma tomatoes cut into 4 pieces each.
Other: I drink a lot of diet cola and black coffee, I also often salt my food but try to do it lightly.
As you can see breakfast and dinner are almost identical, just replace the broccoli with chickpeas. I am sure I am unusual that people can eat the same thing every day but it works for me. I actually like my food...because I know I lose weight and I get to fill full. In fact, potatoes and eggs are super filling, potatoes are super foods in satiety levels. What I am giving up is really taste and I feel its a small price to pay. I also now know that there is lag between eating and feeling full. I used to shove food down my throat so fast that I never got the chance to feel full. So I try to eat slow then wait 15 minutes before I determine if I am full or not. Eating slow is actually the hard part for me!
Also, I cheat. Once a week (approximately) I eat something else but I make a decision to make it healthy-ish but often it’s not. One full rack of ribs? Yep, done that a few times. I am ok with it as long as I know I am back on track afterwards. Since I am absolutely obsessed with the ups and downs of my weight scale chart I don’t see it making any real difference once a week. Sometimes I do everything right and the scale doesn’t move at all, I think the most important thing I learned is to just keep going.
Goofy info: I buy the exact same brand and type of jeans one size too small. Two reason: 1. I know I will need them eventually (all my last summer clothes don’t fit). 2. It is an insane boost of motivation when they just slip right on, as soon as that happens I buy the next smaller size to small.
Super goofy info: I debated putting this part in my long post because I don’t want to discourage anyone from starting right now but this has been something I definitely noticed. I work 50% at desk/50% walking around and I wear a jacket most of my day. Winter coat has hidden my weight loss from my co-workers and as I am pretty shy it has saved me from…people noticing. I am laughing as I write this but it’s true for me.
I’m just a guy on reddit please check with a medical professional or nutritionist or something, I am just one guy that is losing weight but I really don’t know how healthy I am doing it. I am excited because it’s working and I wanted to share. Do I miss some foods? Oh heck yeah, but I like losing the weight more than the temporary taste of my former regular food.
Next step is one I really get some anxiety about thinking about: going to the gym with actual other people there and everything. Not in that mental space yet but I am working on it!
I am still on my journey. If you made it all the way to the end of my super long post then thank you, I don’t know why but having my weight start with a “1” is really a big achievement for me and I just felt the need to tell you folks. I really wish you all the best.
