Wednesday, December 2, 2020

A 'State of the Sub' message from the moderators

Hello Everyone! It is your mod team here, and we’d like to take a minute of your time to discuss a few things. We are looking to make some quality-of-life changes and improvements in the sub, especially as the New Year is right around the corner (along with its influx of new users).

First, you may have noticed that the Loseit Challenge has been unstickied. It has been replaced with the daily Q&A thread, which is now stickied to the top of the subreddit. We are trialling this throughout the month of December. This post, describing the changes (and asking for your feedback) will replace the second stickied post, the "Daily Directory." Reddit's layout rules only allow us to have two posts stickied at a time.

Second, we have noticed an increase in a few behaviors we would like to address – the first being an increased number of people looking to validate disordered eating habits, and secondly an increased number of people calling out perceived disordered habits.

To be unequivocally clear: loseit is not a proED space. This can’t be said with enough emphasis. It never has been, and it never will be. We understand that there are many types of eating disorders, certainly not just restrictive in nature. We understand that people can need to lose weight even when dealing with a history of disordered behavior. The presence of an eating disorder diagnosis does not disqualify you from being a member of this community. However, we must recognize that certain environments are not heathy for some individuals when in certain stages of their disorder.

If you are here to get validation for over restrictive habits - prolonged fasting, water fasting, or calorie goals consistently below medical guidelines – we can’t allow this community to have a part in furthering your disorder. As our guidelines state we support healthy and sustainable weight loss. If your situation does not meet this criteria, we reserve the right to issue bans. This is not limited to over-restrictive behavior; inappropriate posts will be met with bans (at the mod's discretion).

In addition, we have seen an increased number of people calling out others for having disordered behaviors. We would ask the following – please report issues that violate our policies, and that includes unsafe advice or anything that would be unsafe/unhealthy behavior. For example, if you see someone who is already underweight saying they are going to starve themselves to be thinner, please report it. Don’t comment on the post about ‘how can the mods allow this stuff’. Don’t diagnose the OP. Don’t take the post to another sub and talk about how disordered the behavior is.

The truth is that we can’t read every single post and comment, but we do review and act on every single report. Commenting about how something shouldn’t be allowed and then not reporting it is only perpetuating the thing you are claiming to take issue with. Report it. Let us handle it. That doesn’t mean you can’t comment about your concern. Different perspectives are an important part of learning, and we encourage all perspectives so long as they are constructive and on topic. Just remember that concern for OP is not diagnosing them, nor is it about how the mods are not doing their job. Concern is demonstrated by kindly, and without condemnation, explaining to OP in what issues they should be considering and why. If you have an issue with the way we as mods are handling something you can always send us a modmail to discuss it.

We would also respectfully like to ask that those members with a history of disordered eating, particularly restrictive eating consider that there is a natural overlap in habits of people losing weight in a healthy and sustainable manner, and those with active eating disorders. Our ask is not to make anyone with a history of an ED feel like their perspective isn’t welcomed or doesn’t matter – it absolutely does and is. But when giving advice please first consider if you have a particularly strong bias that might lead you to believe there is no way to safely manage a specific behavior or habit. Please understand that we realize behaviors when taken to an extreme are not healthy. We are asking that people also realize many of those same behaviors when practiced with moderation can be and are done safely. I will also reiterate here that we do not condone and will not normalize the idea that excessive restriction (fasting, water fasting, or unsupervised VLCD) are safe or healthy.

Now on to sub related items:

We want to encourage the use of the Daily Threads – like the Daily Q&A and NSV/SV threads. The only way we are going to be successful is if people head over there and help those people who need a quick answer, or a little bit of encouragement. We all need a little help from time to time, no matter how long we’ve been here. So, ask some questions, and get some answers. Help each other out. Make this a community, not just a place to scream into the internet void about breaking down and eating the cookie. Please upvote the Daily NSV/SV thread, as it will make the thread more visible.

Repetitive posts clog up the subreddit, and make it unreadable. Additionally, we have noticed that some of our weekly re-occurring posts (Tantrum Tuesday, Free-Talk Friday) are not being used at all. Therefore, we want to trial having "community captains" to volunteer to lead a weekly thread, and help build community back up. Therefore, one of the things we are looking for is active members of the community to commit to posting a dedicated thread for other users to use/interact with.

Our ideas for daily re-occuring threads for Community Captains to post (based on what gets used) are as follows (NB: Bold denotes a 'community captain' already has responsibility for a given thread):

Maintainance Monday

Track With Me Tuesday (to find accountability buddies/connect with people on other platforms)

Weigh-In Wednesday

Century Club Thursday (for people who have lost, or need to lose 100 pounds or more)

Fitness Fridays

If you are interested in becoming a Community Captain, or have a great idea for a weekly thread idea, applications will open in 2 weeks (please check this space).

We recognize that our mobile design is a more than a bit weak. We are actively working on redesigning it and just ask for your patience while we do. We have a larger mobile audience than ever and understand fully how frustrating it can be to current navigate the sidebar or locate various threads. One of our biggest issues is our "daily directory" post - we have temporarily removed it this month (to make room for this post), but we know it's frustrating to see so much information be completely non-functional on mobile apps. We are working on it. We promise! But, we could always use help!

To that end, we are accepting applications for new moderators. While not required, if you have some design experience and want to flex those UI muscles this would be a great place to do it! The design is CSS based and Automod is YAML. If it sounds like fun to make some backend improvements to this place for the hourly wage of nothing but supporting the community, you love we’ve got the job for you! A few things to note upfront – you need to:

  • Currently be an active member of the community.
  • Be ready to be on the receiving end of verbal abuse regularly. If you are especially sensitive to being called a ‘fat loser’ or anything similar (and much worse), this is not the job for you.
  • Not care about karma. If you do, this is not the role for you. Your mod comments will get downvoted, no matter if you are right or how well-intentioned you are.
  • Be willing to answer the same questions in modmail over, and over, and over again. It gets repetitive, but it needs to be done.
  • Moderate our sister sub r/progresspics, which deals with more than just weight loss. It includes all forms of progress by a human including by not limited to gender transitions, cancer recovery, skin improvements and much more. If you are not comfortable supporting all forms of progress, please do not apply.

If you are interested in applying, please note that applications will open in 2 weeks (please check this space for a link to the application).

Thank you to everyone for making r/loseit a welcoming, supportive, and inspiring place. We hope to keep improving and help people achieve their goals in a healthy and sustainable way.

Yours Truly,

The r/loseit Moderators

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

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/3qiWwKr

Day 1? Starting your weight loss journey on Wednesday, 02 December 2020? Start here!

Today is your Day 1?

Welcome to r/Loseit!

So you aren’t sure of how to start? Don’t worry! “How do I get started?” is our most asked question. r/Loseit has helped our users lose over 1,000,000 recorded pounds and these are the steps that we’ve found most useful for getting started.

Why you’re overweight

Our bodies are amazing (yes, yours too!). In order to survive before supermarkets, we had to be able to store energy to get us through lean times, we store this energy as adipose fat tissue. If you put more energy into your body than it needs, it stores it, for (potential) later use. When you put in less than it needs, it uses the stored energy. The more energy you have stored, the more overweight you are. The trick is to get your body to use the stored energy, which can only be done if you give it less energy than it needs, consistently.

Before You Start

The very first step is calculating your calorie needs. You can do that HERE. This will give you an approximation of your calorie needs for the day. The next step is to figure how quickly you want to lose the fat. One pound of fat is equal to 3500 calories. So to lose 1 pound of fat per week you will need to consume 500 calories less than your TDEE (daily calorie needs from the link above). 750 calories less will result in 1.5 pounds and 1000 calories is an aggressive 2 pounds per week.

Tracking

Here is where it begins to resemble work. The most efficient way to lose the weight you desire is to track your calorie intake. This has gotten much simpler over the years and today it can be done right from your smartphone or computer. r/loseit recommends an app like MyFitnessPal, Loseit! (unaffiliated), or Cronometer. Create an account and be honest with it about your current stats, activities, and goals. This is your tracker and no one else needs to see it so don’t cheat the numbers. You’ll find large user created databases that make logging and tracking your food and drinks easy with just the tap of the screen or the push of a button. We also highly recommend the use of a digital kitchen scale for accuracy. Knowing how much of what you're eating is more important than what you're eating. Why? This may explain it.

Creating Your Deficit

How do you create a deficit? This is up to you. r/loseit has a few recommendations but ultimately that decision is yours. There is no perfect diet for everyone. There is a perfect diet for you and you can create it. You can eat less of exactly what you eat now. If you like pizza you can have pizza. Have 2 slices instead of 4. You can try lower calorie replacements for calorie dense foods. Some of the communities favorites are cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash in place of their more calorie rich cousins. If it appeals to you an entire dietary change like Keto, Paleo, Vegetarian.

The most important thing to remember is that this selection of foods works for you. Sustainability is the key to long term weight management success. If you hate what you’re eating you won’t stick to it.

Exercise

Is NOT mandatory. You can lose fat and create a deficit through diet alone. There is no requirement of exercise to lose weight.

It has it’s own benefits though. You will burn extra calories. Exercise is shown to be beneficial to mental health and creates an endorphin rush as well. It makes people feel awesome and has been linked to higher rates of long term success when physical activity is included in lifestyle changes.

Crawl, Walk, Run

It can seem like one needs to make a 180 degree course correction to find success. That isn’t necessarily true. Many of our users find that creating small initial changes that build a foundation allows them to progress forward in even, sustained, increments.

Acceptance

You will struggle. We have all struggled. This is natural. There is no tip or trick to get through this though. We encourage you to recognize why you are struggling and forgive yourself for whatever reason that may be. If you overindulged at your last meal that is ok. You can resolve to make the next meal better.

Do not let the pursuit of perfect get in the way of progress. We don’t need perfect. We just want better.

Additional resources

Now you’re ready to do this. Here are more details, that may help you refine your plan.

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

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/3lvbqcL

Tuesday, December 1, 2020

Is it me or are all my calorie burn calculators wrong?

Hey all! First of my stats Female 27 5'7"(170cm) 254.6lb(115.5kg) Starting weight: 278lb (126kg) goal weight 180lb(82kg)

I subscribe to the cico weight loss idea. Also lots of veggies and daily exercise even if it's just a walk.

I've been stalled at 115.5 for about three weeks. After i got here from 118 i stalled a week, suddenly put on 2kg and then i dropped back here again this week and I'll weigh in again this saturday. I feel it has something to do with my hormones which i plan to get checked soon. I haven't had a period in 60 days though it seems to be coming today! (I hate having to be excited about that but pcos life...) But this is all background info in case someone can shed light on something i didn't think of.

Point is between my fit watch and myfitnesspal calculator i think they're both wrong when it comes to counting my calories burned. A prime example is a have weekly dance class between 2-3 hours. I spend the entire time sweating and a good part of it breath heavy (but i am wear a mask sooo...) And i don't mean a little sweat, my back is drenched and i could probably wring it out if i tried. But my watch puts the calories burned suspiciously low to me. I'll use an extreme example to make my point.

Two weeks ago i had a long dance day. We had two hour practice for a performance and then 3 hour practice for just weekly dance practice. 5 hours or 300 minutes. calories burned fitnesspal: 2598(🤔...no)
Fitnesswatch: 500 (🤔...... Also no) My watch doesn't have an aerobics setting, let alone a dance setting so I've been putting it on either walking or free training so granted it surely has something to do with that, but how would you guys suggest i get more accuracy? Do it by hand or an online calculator? Or just let it be? Also! I got one of those fancy scales and it put my bmr at 1850 so....yea.

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

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/37lATjW

Faced my fear of the doctor’s office!

Being obese since childhood has created a fear of doctor visits for the good part of my life. It served as an uncomfortable reality check to my poor health each visit, and still does. From being weighed in front of the MA, being told I could die if my habits didn’t change, my parent’s paranoia, etc.

With everything 2020 has thrown at me I decided there’s really nothing to lose if I make an appointment given the fact I haven’t seen my doctor in over 2 years. So I got up, made the visit, and got my blood work done along with the routine checkup. And to my surprise, the results were good! Somehow they’ve actually improved since my last visit, and this was the confidence boost I needed to jumpstart my weight loss journey.

Since then not only have I been consistent in living a healthier lifestyle, but I truly feel in control of my body. I told my self that no matter how bad the outcome was, it was still my choice to live a better life. And who would’ve thought that sometimes the inspiration we need in life are hidden right behind our very own fears.

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

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/3qj543L

[Tip] Why losing weight can be so difficult.

We are fed so much conflicting information on the best ways to lose weight. Try this diet, try that one. No, those diets are no good - people tend to gain all the weight back after those diets. Instead try this one. My best friend Clara did it, and look at her now! She's kept off the weight for 5+ years! And then that attracts hundreds of people pleading and begging to know what this new diet is. How did she do it? What diet is this? Tell me, tell me. I'm so stuck. I've literally tried everything. Tell me what works.

r/loseit, r/fitness and many other subreddits have done this amazing thing where they dispel the myths, they simplify the "laws of weight loss", introduce the simple concept of CICO and even provide helpful subreddits to assist with dieting (r/caloriecount, r/fitmeals, r/juicing, r/keto, to name a few) and simultaneously have created extremely supportive communities of encouraging, championing and a wholesome camaraderie which creates such a healthy, positive atmosphere. And I love it.

And yet, some of us are still struggling.

This post is not for those that are making headway on their goals. This post is not for those who have adopted principles of weight loss that are effectively leading them towards their goals. This post is also not for those who have a possible medical reason which prevents them from making progress (See a doctor if you feel that something medically may be affecting you).

This post is for those who are frustrated. Those who are feeling stuck and hopeless that nothing is working for them.

Disclaimer: This post is just things I've compiled over the years from various authors on the subject. I'm sure not everything in it is widely accepted and I encourage you to point out things I may have missed. I'm sure some will disagree - perhaps vehemently so. Let it be knows this is an opinion - not an objective analysis.


Many of these points will crossover. I hope I haven't made it too confusing.


1. Acknowledgment

I put this first because I hear it so often. "I don't eat that much", or "I just have a slower metabolism". While these things may be true in certain cases (and in such instances, perhaps seeing a professional may be the appropriate route), the majority of people use these 'tactics' to shift blame outside of their control. The common factor is almost always denial. Perhaps it's the fear of knowing a change must be made. Perhaps it's not wanting to admit that one's habits are not the best. The bottom line is that, until a person is willing to step up and say, "I've created this", they will not be able to say "I can change this".


2. Kindness

This is not easy. I want to repeat that because so many blame themselves. This. Is. NOT. Easy. You are not failing. You are learning. You are growing. The frustration you feel is what I would compare to growing pains. As soon as you start making progress, it can very often hurt. That implies growth - and is the best indication to keep at it! This is a tough journey. Realize that this takes time. Be patient with yourself. When you slip, think of the positive things you've done so far. Use that as a reason to keep going.


3. Environment

I've seen this firsthand many times. People are not around healthy people. Change your surroundings. If you cannot, try to schedule your day so you're spending most of your day in a healthy atmosphere. Whether this means being outdoors, or getting a job which keeps you away from the unhealthy environment. I have friend who has made a lot of progress but it suddenly stalls or even reverses when he visits his parents. So he's learned to make his visits minimal. Sometimes a job is not a good environment either. Quit it. No job, no money, no friendship, no relationship, or any other endeavor is worth it, if it puts you in a negative environment. If you really cannot change your environment, or it's very difficult (say, you need that job, or you have no money to move or cannot spend time outdoors), try to change the environment in your mind. Do what you can. Your environment is directly correlated to your success. You come first.


4. Perspective

This can encompass many areas of your progress but the thing I wanted to touch on most is calories - specifically CICO (calories in, calories out). Let me try to reframe this. CICO is not the reason you aren't losing weight. Yes, eating less works. However - and this point is crucial to understand - eating too much is not the ultimate cause. It's the proximate cause. Let me explain. Say someone is addicted to their phone. They see a professional and the professional says, well... hmm according to recent studies, the reason for this is that you are using your phone too much. The patient sits there and thinks... well yeah no sht. I want to know *why. Why do I feel the need to do that? Why do I constantly seek comfort or stimulation from my phone? It's the same thing here. Sure, a person gains weight from eating too much. But telling the person that that's the reason they are gaining weight, just isn't helpful. It may be true. But they want to know WHY. Telling a person to eat less, is like telling a depressed person that the reason they're depressed is because they are feeling depressed. Saying the reason of gaining weight is eating too many calories is just stating an irrelevant fact that in no way helps the person actually EAT less.

That brings us to the ultimate cause. If eating too much is the proximate cause, then what is the ultimate cause?

For this, it can be many factors. And this is what this post is all about.


5. Reason

Some people want to lose weight but don't have a strong enough reason to. Sometimes for change to happen one needs to be sick of it. Being comfortable and okay with how you are, is the biggest hindrance. Take some time to formulate a reason of why this means a lot to you. What does it mean to you? How does this improve your life? Is losing weight really your goal? Maybe it's more about accepting who you already are. Think about these things. These are important questions for embarking on a life journey!



A couple of points I wanted to make or just clear up.

  • #1 says it's all your fault. This isn't always how it started. Usually an outside or environmental factors largely affected one's habits. The takeaway is that letting it continue is where each person should own and take responsibility for.
  • #1 and #2 may seem to conflict. #1 says you're to blame, and #2 says be kind to yourself. The idea here is to recognize that those can co-exist.
  • #3 I understand is very difficult. It's unfortunate sometimes. Accepting this may be the only way. Don't let that deter you. Don't wait around, you can do this!
  • #4 is hard to wrap one's head around. We are constantly told calories, calories, calories. Yes, it's true. I eat too many calories. BUT WHY. That's where the real progress takes place.
  • Sometimes we aren't ready to change. Try to get sick of it. Envision where you will be in 5 years time. Still the same. Still struggling. How does that feel?

 

A SYNOPSIS:

1: Acknowledgement - the single most important thing to eating less.

Solution 1: Be proactive. Focus on your circle of influence. Say "What do I know instead of focusing on What don't I know. In the same vein, say "What can I do, not "What can't I do"
Solution 2: Use your imagination and visualization to project you at your final goal. Feel what that feels like.

2: Kindness - a common slope people slip on.

Solution 1: Don't let acknowledging things you need to work on affect how you value yourself. You are worthy of this. It's okay. We are all human.
Solution 2: Things take time. If you don't see progress right away, that's okay. Keep at it and you will. I promise this.

3: Environment - the one most overlooked

Solution 1: Schedule your day so it's mostly outdoors.
Solution 2: Move out.

4: Perspective - the one that's most rarely stated

Solution 1: Think what your ultimate cause may be ( it may be nothing said in this post).
Solution 2: Challenge yourself to see your journey in another way.

5: Reason - the one that depletes motivation

Solution 1: Write a pros and cons list of what the difference would be if you get to your goal weight vs. stay the same.
Solution 2: Ask yourself right now why this is something you want. Be specific.


Saved this for last because this is crucial.

6. TGR

The golden rule: Do what works for you. In the beginning of the post I mentioned all this confusing contradictory advice etc. The truth is, it mostly doesn't matter. And the truth is, you aren't Clara. It doesn't matter what worked for her. Most things do work if you stick to them. It's not important to do it the right way because there is no right way. Do what works for you.


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

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/3my6DIQ

Let's goooo! Day 1

So, I've been eyeing this thread for a while now, whenever I need motivation to start losing weight and I've never actually committed.

So, I am starting this post today 1/12/20 to mark the first day of my weight loss journey. I recently turned 20, weigh 90-95kg (my scales r super dodgy) and am 5'6". For reference, I am a size 16 in UK.

My goal weight is 65kg which I aim to hit by the time I turn 21. I am currently my heaviest ever weight, find it sooo easy to put on and hard to lose due to my PCOS but I really want to make a lifestyle change now.

For some background: I was diagnosed w PCOS at around 14, since when I have been putting on kgs of weight yearly. I think every year, by my next birthday I'll fit into this specific red dress that I own and each year it's gotten tighter and tighter. I aim to fit back into this dress!

I know I am anonymous, but I will keep this as updated as I can along my journey and would love for people to interact with me so we can keep eachother motivated!

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

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/3ofmSek

What helped me lose 10.7kg in 40 days (~23lbs)

Hi, I'm F22, SW 100kg (~220lbs), CW 89kg (~196lbs), GW 70kg (154lbs). I still have a loooong way to go until my goal weight, but I've lost almost 11kg so far which is a huge amount, so I'll think of myself as qualified to give out some small tips/changes in habits that have helped me:

  • First of all, I lost my weight thanks to a very strict CICO - very low carb diet, plus 16:8 intermittent fasting. I used to exercise 3-5 times a week but haven't been able to for 1 month now because my gym is closed, but I never lost any weight when I was exercising hardcore anyway. I only started losing weight when I changed my diet. So yeah, don't rely completely on exercising. There's no way to lose weight other than adjusting your eating habits.

  • Meal prep. Please, I beg you, start meal prepping. As a college student I'm normally too lazy to cook and that results in me ordering in all the damn time or eating snacks like chips or sweets as meals. But since I started meal prepping - cooking my lunches and dinners for 4 days at once, I completely stopped getting take aways or ordering in and I can control my food intake much, much better now.

  • Buy a food scale. Weigh your food, don't be lazy. If you plan on trying the magical CICO method, a food scale is a must. You will never be able to eyeball calories, so invest in a food scale and you can leave the calculating part to so many convenient apps like MyFitnessPal etc.

  • If you often cook with oil, measure the oil into a separate bowl beforehand (for me I measure out 2 tablespoons when I meal prep for 4 lunches + 4 dinners and only allow myself to use that much oil). Use a silicone food brush to brush your oil on the surface of the pan instead of just pouring straight in from the bottle. You need less oil than you think, trust me.

  • Brush your teeth right after your last meal. This prevents me from late night snacking when there's something binge-able in the house. Also brushing my teeth kind of sends a signal to my brain that I'm done eating for the day, so I don't even have the urge to snack at all.

  • Stop watching food related videos on Youtube, TikTok, Instagram, etc. I can't even count how many times my diet was ruined just because I watched some cooking tutorials or mukbang videos and got irresistible cravings.

  • Only go grocery shopping when you're FULL. Whenever I go grocery with an empty stomach, I fall into the trap of the variety of snacks and processed food at the supermarket and before I know it, I already grabbed 163726282 bags of chips and 927383 chocolate bars. Make a shopping list, buy exactly what you need and get the hell out of the supermarket as fast as you can.

  • Get rid of sugar, completely. No sugary drinks, no sugar in coffee or tea, no sweets, no sugar in cooking. Be strict to yourself, because sugar is addictive. I cut out sugar completely from my diet and when I'm really, REALLY craving something sweet, I go for grapes. Which, of course I will weigh before I eat so I don't accidentally consume 1000 calories worth of grapes in one go.

  • Drink! Water!!! I drink 2l of water everyday.

  • Portion control with the help of food containers with compartments (so I can see the ratio of carb-protein-fiber I'm eating), or simply reduce the size of your eating plates. Plus, EAT SLOWLY. Eat two grains of rice at once and your tiny portion will seem much, much more than it is.

  • Invest in an air fryer. Trust me, it's worth it.

  • If you MUST snack (like me), I recommend the air popper to make plain, oil free sugar free popcorn. Snack on them, they're healthy and low in calories compared to any snacks out there.

  • Don't trust nuts, they are not as innocent as they look. I gained 4kg from macadamia nuts. Oh boy.

  • Konjac (shirataki) noodles have changed my life. Almost no nutrient value other than fiber, but very low in calories and keep you full for a long time. Do some research on it, it's worth it.

That's pretty much all I've been doing. I haven't exercised properly in a month, but I do take long, leisure walks (6-8km) about 3 times a week. Honestly these tips are not groundbreaking or even new to anyone, but if you have the self discipline to stick to it, you'll definitely see results.

I wish everyone success on this weight loss journey!

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

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/36qACNi