What are some tricks to diminish calorie intake without actually counting calories?

I'm not looking for a "lose weight without effort" solution - I know that when it comes to weight loss, calories in - calories out is what counts. The thing is, I've used CICO in the past and it got to the point I developed an eating disorder - not going to go into details but I was completely unhealthily obsessed by calorie counting. I managed to recover, I'm quite happy with my body now (yay!) but I'd like to lose those last 15lbs. No pressure, no hurry, no obsessing on counting, just maybe make a few choices that might help to generally reduce calories? I already try to eat a lot of veggies and fruit and avoid snacking, and do some cardio 2-3x a week.

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Insert clever/misleading title here! (but seriously: SV, NSV, and progress)

Last fall, I was considering taking a vacation. I wanted to go to Europe to see some of the Christmas markets. I’ve done it before, and I had a blast. I was considering going to Italy and Austria, or Germany and the Netherlands, and I was having a lot of fun building potential itineraries. Ultimately though, I decided against going. Not due to lack of money, or lack of vacation time at work, or family commitments. No, I ended up deciding against the trip for one very simple reason.

I felt like I was too fat to comfortably fly.

During a trip in April to France and Switzerland, I was barely able to fit the airplane seatbelt around me, and by October I was twenty pounds heavier than I had been in the spring. I’m 6’3, and I was up to 320 pounds. The trips on the plane had been extremely uncomfortable, and I didn’t want to put myself through that again. I decided not to fly to Europe that fall, but I set myself a goal: I would take a trip in April 2020, and I’d be down to 260 pounds by that time. That would be six months of weight loss at the rate of 10 pounds a month. I set two simple daily goals at the start: aim for 2,000 calories a day and stay under 2,300 calories a day, and walk the 10k steps a day that my Fitbit kept pestering me about. In February, I bought an exercise bike, and on days where the weather is terrible I’ve been riding it for an hour rather than walking 10k steps.

COVID-19 interrupted my April vacation plans, which makes not taking the trip in December an especially painful decision in retrospect. But I had a scale victory: my trip was scheduled to start on April 13, and on April 8 I reached 260 pounds. Since then, I’ve kept going. My ultimate goal is about 190, but it’s very much something that I’ll be reevaluating as I continue to lose weight.

I’ve somewhat inadvertently been doing some interval fasting; it’s not that I set out to interval fast, but usually I end up eating almost all of my calories in a four hour window between 8:00 AM and noon. One of the challenges for me was finding food that was A) filling, B) tasty to me, C) healthy, D) no effort to make. Still, I’ve found things that work for me: there’s a lot of Greek yogurt, chicken, berries and nuts in my diet now. Covid restrictions have given me an odd benefit: while working from home I can’t go down to the food court in my office building to be tempted. I have only what I have in the house, and it makes cheating somewhat difficult.

Some victories:

• My belt had been at the point where I was out of notches and I wouldn’t be able to loosen it further. I was going to need a new belt. And now, I’ve had to add two notches to it. I’ve had this belt since 2011, so to have had to add notches after so long is a pretty great thing.

• I’ve had to buy some new clothes. I’m on my second pair of new jeans in six months. I’ve also bought shorts that were XL rather than XXL. The jeans that I was wearing last fall are ridiculously oversized on me now. It’s like wearing clown pants. The funniest thing, in a melancholy sort of way, has been dress shirts. I have dress shirts that I grew to big to wear but kept anyways that are now too big and loose on me to look good.

• At the end of May and start of June, my workplace had a step challenge. I finished 3rd out of 162 people, averaging about 32,000 steps a day. One of those days I set a new personal best for steps in a day with 45,266.

• I started a Couch to 5K plan a few weeks ago. On Week 1, Day 1 I had trouble running for one minute. Week 7, Day 1 was Sunday June 7th. I was supposed to do 25 minutes of running – instead I did 36 minutes of running, and went well over 5K. Since then, I’ve done 5k runs on the 9th and the 11th, and my time has dropped each day. I hope to get my 5k time down under 30 minutes, and then maybe to start adding additional distance.

• On June 11th, I stepped on the scale and I was 239 pounds. That put me into “overweight” as opposed to obese. I’ve lost 80 pounds. I am literally ¾ of the man I used to be.

I currently have about 50 pounds to go to reach my next goal weight of 190, which will put me 10 pounds below being overweight, and was about what I weighed when I graduated from university back in 2004. Today is not the end, or the beginning of the end, or even the end of beginning, because even after I reach my goal I know that I have a whole lifetime to try to maintain it. But this might be the middle of the beginning for me.

And hey, there’s even an outside chance that travel restrictions will be loosened in the fall and that I’ll be able to go see those Christmas markets this year. I can always hope!

For those who care about such things, here’s my shirtless progress pic.

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4 Sweet Reasons Peaches Are the Best for Summer Weight Loss

Sink your teeth into this juicy fruit for a sweet taste of summer. Fresh peaches are not only delicious, they also are accompanied by many healthy benefits. Grab a peach on the go or whip up one of our delicious recipes to use peaches for weight loss and enjoy a healthy, sweet and balanced summer diet.

Read on to find out exactly why you should bite into this sweet fruit and enjoy the many benefits of enjoying peaches for weight loss :

1. Low in Calories

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), one medium peach weighs in at only 58 calories—and like many fresh fruits, it has less than ½ gram of fat, with no sodium or cholesterol. While it is true that peaches and other fruits contain sugar, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat them. Sugar in peaches and other fruits occurs naturally; the kind that is loaded into soda, cakes and candy bars is processed, or refined. Both types are broken down in your body for energy. Refined sugars, however, enter the blood stream very quickly, causing blood sugar to spike, then crash. Low blood sugar signals the body it needs more energy, or more sugar—which can start a vicious sugar-craving cycle, say experts. The sugar that naturally occurs in fruit is also packaged with a bunch of healthy nutrients, which help slow the absorption of sugar into your blood.

7 Delicious Fruits You Never Knew Existed

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2. High in Filling Fiber

You get 2 grams of fiber per peach—half of which is soluble fiber, the other half insoluble. According to the Mayo Clinic, soluble fiber helps keep blood sugar levels steady; insoluble eases digestion. And overall, high fiber foods tend to be more filling, so you’re likely to feel fuller longer. Research published in The Lancet found that eating 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day can help you lose weight, as well as help reduce blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

3. Packed with Water

A peach is 88% percent water—making it a low-energy-dense food. Energy density is the number of calories (or energy) in a specific amount of food, according to the Mayo Clinic. High energy density means a lot of calories in a little food; low energy density is the opposite—few calories in a lot of food. High water content in fruits, like peaches, help provide volume and weight so you feel fuller on less calories.

4. Loaded with Disease-Fighting Nutrients

This fuzzy fruit is a good source of vitamin C, which helps boost your immune system, and vitamin A that promotes healthy vision. It also contains potassium (that’s good for your heart), iron, and antioxidants—plant compounds that help protect your body against aging and disease. The riper the fruit, the more antioxidants it contains, according to Plant Foods for Human Nutrition.

Research from Texas A&M AgriLife found stone fruits—like peaches, plums and nectarines—have been shown to ward off obesity-related diseases, such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease. Enjoy these fruits fresh or canned in water—on Nutrisystem, one medium fruit or one cup canned peaches counts as one SmartCarb.

Gardening with Scott: Wild About Fruit

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Get your peach fill this season by whipping up one of these delicious (and peachy) recipes:

1. Peach Buzz Bagel Sandwich >

What better way to start your morning than with slices of juicy peaches and a drizzle of honey? That sweet sensation sits atop creamy cottage cheese and a soft-baked, fiber-loaded Nutrisystem Honey Wheat Bagel for a satisfying breakfast sandwich that weighs in at 320 calories.

2. Peach Honey Whipped Ricotta >

It’s rich, it’s loaded with nutrition and it takes no time to make: Just blend honey with ricotta cheese and a hint of almond flavor for a sweet base. Add juicy grilled peaches to the side and voila—pure deliciousness that provides eight grams of muscle-building protein. On Nutrisystem, this flex snack counts as one PowerFuel and one SmartCarb.

3. Skinny Peach Cobbler >

Sure, you can have your cobbler and eat it, too: This healthy twist on a classic features soft, juicy peaches sprinkled with nutmeg and brown sugar and baked beneath a cinnamon-hinted homemade crust. It takes like you’re cheating, but you’re totally not: Each serving is only 135 guilt-free calories.

4. Blackberry Peach Upside Down Muffin-Cakes >

Two beautiful summer fruits join forces to create a sweet that serves as the perfect breakfast treat or evening dessert and is the perfect way to use peaches for weight loss. These muffins are light, super simple to bake, and are sure to satisfy your cake cravings. The bonus: no butter, no sugar, and you get to eat two for 153 calories. On Nutrisystem, each serving counts as one SmartCarb and one PowerFuel.

10 Fruits That Taste Awesome Grilled

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5. Peach Melba Pudding >

The Peach Melba your grandmother made had peaches, of course, plus vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce. This healthier version keeps the sweet fruit, but subs in non-fat yogurt and raspberry-flavored gelatin to cut help sugar and fat from the old-fashioned favorite. Plus, this peach treat might take the win for best presentation. Each serving is 111 calories.

6. Peachy Green Ginger Smoothie >

Green smoothies are an simple and delicious way to load up on body-boosting nutrients—and this one is no exception. You get the sweetness of peaches, creaminess from bananas, and a bunch of fiber, vitamins and minerals from the spinach. Combined with almond milk and fresh grated ginger for a little extra zest, this smoothie is so tasty you’ll slurp it right up. On Nutrisystem, one smoothie counts as one SmartCarb, one Vegetable and one Extra.

The post 4 Sweet Reasons Peaches Are the Best for Summer Weight Loss appeared first on The Leaf.

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Skinny shamed after weight loss

Hello there, I'm a 22 year old male in college. I have always dealt with body image issues. I was a skinny kid but started gaining a lot of weight in highschool and even reached 105kg during my senior year which is quite bad for someone as short as me. Lately I put a lot of effort into losing weight and becoming more confident in my body, but for what? To get even more negative comments on my body because apparently shaming thin people is acceptable. It's insane how people are so obsessed with my body now that I'm actually healthier than I used to be. I'm at 60 kg which admittedly is quite thin but definitely not too skinny for someone at my height. I've been spending time in my hometown lately and I've gotten a lot of comments like "where did you cheeks go?", "you look like a skeleton", "you should gain some weight", "are you sure you're not anorexic?" (how is that ever appropriate!?) At first I secretly enjoyed the skinny comments but now they're getting to me. I keep taking photos and videos of my body and face to see if they look ugly and this paranoia is taking a lot of my time. I heard so many good things about losing weight but noone prepared me for this. People were cruel when I was heavier but I never received as much criticism for my body as I am now. I've even started thinking about putting on some weight shortly after I finished my weight loss journey. This is exhausting.

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Trying to lose weight. Busy schedule. Overweight.

So for a few months now Ive had this routine ive mashed together to try and lose some weight. I try to do it every other day. Will this help me lose weight? I feel like I can only invest 30-45 mins every other day due to other commitments like university. What do you think of the workout? any changes? tips?

Heres my routine (3-4 reps) - 10 inclined pushups, cant do normal ones yet - 10 squats - 5 burpees - marching on the spot 20secs - 10 “sidewalk” jumping jacks (knees cant take the jump so much) - 20 mountain climbers - 10 to 20 sec plank (about as much i can handle)

I have noticed some weight loss, jeans have gotten looser. But I feel like progress is very minimal for the amount of time Ive been doing this. I try to “eat well” as much as I can. And i know everybody’s body is different. But any pointers could help

Thanks in advance

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For those of you who lost weight during lockdown, how do you plan to sustain your weight loss after lockdown ends?

When lockdown started, I was really worried that I would spend all day binging or just eating out of boredom. I have a long history of binge eating and I had overcome it a few weeks before lockdown started, and I was scared that this would mess everything up and I would go back to my old habits. But actually, it was the complete opposite - I’ve lost 15 pounds since lockdown started in the uk!!! I know that this must not be much for most of you but I had plateaued for months so I was so surprised to see that I had started to lose weight again.

Where I live in the uk, we are still on a strict lockdown so I haven’t been able to go out to eat, go drinking, I have lots of time to workout, and I live in the countryside and we have no options for food delivery. I live at home now, but once I return to uni in the autumn (hopefully!!) I’m scared I will get lazy and order delivery a few times a week like I used to.

During lockdown I’ve been able to form good eating habits and also I’ve been working out almost daily, and going on lots of walks. Before lockdown I thought I “hated” working out, but I’ve been able to find exercises I genuinely enjoy and I’m planning to start learning to run soon. I have a lot of free time to do them regularly, but I’m scared that once lockdown is lifted I will revert back to my old habits...

I’m very bad with dealing with change, I gained a lot of weight when I started university, whenever I start new part time jobs, and also when I studied abroad. It must be because I need a routine and these were all situations where my routine had to change. So I’m kind of expecting to gain weight once lockdown is over but I want to prevent this!

Is anyone else in a similar situation? And if so, how are you going to maintain/ continue losing weight after lockdown is over? Or if lockdown has already been lifted where you live, how are you coping with it?

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I've fallen completely off the wagon, and have to get back on.

So I lost a little over 40 lbs in a little over 6 months by counting and tracking calories (and by weighing/measuring every morsel of food and cooking at home more often).

​

I was working on my NEXT goal, which was to maintain that loss for 2 years so I could qualify to register with the national weight loss database and talk about not just how I lost it, but how I kept it off for 2 years, and planned to keep it off forever! I just had to make it to October 15, 2019! I'm THAT CLOSE!

​

Then, a while ago, I noticed that I was hovering closer to the top end of my goal window (a 5-lb window to account for cyclic water and weight fluctuations) instead of near the bottom, as I initially did. No big deal--that's why I had a goal window and not a goal point! Then I was kissing the ceiling. Then I was hovering just over and under. I told myself alternately that I needed to buckle down and knock out this 5 lbs and that I was fine! All the while, I've been more stressed (about other stuff, like money, and work stress, and the death of my mother, and all the family dynamics that have surrounded that, and trying to work through some marital issues), working out less, and even neglecting other parts of my health (not taking my calcium or calcitriol so my calcium levels fell pretty low, and my doc, who's rather chill, even got on my case about it) and the weight just kept creeping up and up. But I was no longer noticing because I was no longer weighing in even once a week. This weekend we went camping, and I noticed that all of my clothes were noticeably more snug than they were last time I wore them. And when I got dressed for work afterwards, yeah, my work clothes are definitely more tight, and I need to quit pretending they're not.

​

How did I get here? By going out to dinner, and eating all of it instead of a reasonable portion. By eating not just one work donut, but 3. By boredom-snacking. By indulging in a giant bowl of ultra-butter popcorn on movie night, instead of a single portion of low-cal popcorn. By drinking all the coffee creamer I want throughout the day instead of just a measured 2T in the morning, and then sticking to black after that. By quitting going to the gym because, well, it's 45 minutes away already, but local construction was pushing that up to over an hour, and we're going to be moving closer by the end of the year, so I may as well wait for the move, and all sorts of other flawed "waiting for this to do that" thinking. By taking a more sedentary position at work, and not making up for it with being more active at home. By completely letting my guard down and thinking I was still a young, active 20-something with a mildly overactive thyroid who could eat whatever and still be thin, instead of the true me: a middle aged woman with no thyroid at all who absolutely must eat less and move more to stay thin!

​

I just stepped on the scale for the first time in about a month. I am officially, this morning, 7.6 lbs over the top weight of my goal weight window. That means I'm 12.6 lbs over the bottom of the window, which is where I need to aim for in order for any fluctuations to stay within the window. Well, crap. So now I can't ignore it.

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I just logged my first meal in many months. And I almost didn't do it until after I ate because I'm so out of practice that I almost forgot my rule to always log before I eat so I'm not blind-sided after the fact! And I'm really, really not looking forward to this. I'm not looking forward to the emotional baggage that comes with feeling hungry when you grew up with extreme food scarcity. I'm absolutely not looking forward to telling my husband, because I know it's also stressful for him because I get crabby when I'm hungry, and we can't be as spontaneous with our dinner plans, even though I know he'll be supportive just like he was last time (and this time he might actually join me).

​

And the last 15? It's the hardest! and that's all I have to lose is 10-12 lbs! That is not going to be fast, because it's hard to make a deficit at this point! And that's when the completely useless, counter-productive, really ridiculous self-pitying comes in, and like a freaking addict, I start trying to make excuses in my head about why I shouldn't start YET!

​

But it is time. So here I am, back in my old stomping grounds, the place that I used to visit daily when I was losing the first time, that got me through so many rough spots, and kept me going even when I wanted to quit. And I'm counting on you guys to help me get through one more 10 lb loss!

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