First digit change!

I started my most recent, and first serious weight loss adventure back in August after hitting an all time high of 485 pounds. OP can be seen here for anyone interested: first post

Just weighed in this morning and I am back down into the threes for the first time in probably 5 years! 397 now, still a long way to go, but down 88 pounds since August 17 and no signs of slowing yet. I have gotten into a good routine that averages around 15-1700 calories per day and never has me feeling like I'm starving. I'm still allowing my self a once a month "no count" cheat day, but I find even on those days I am not overdoing it because I am just so much more aware of the effects of my eating and I don't want to derail my progress.

Earlier this year I had all but given up on life. I couldn't participate in family activities, and blew off most social events unless they were really important. I thought I was just going to be fat forever, and when people expressed concern for my health, it didn't affect me because I didn't really care to extend my miserable time on this planet. I was never suicidal, I just truly didn't care any more. But all that has changed now. I look forward to my weekly weigh-ins, and would love to be able to travel someday and see more of the world, so I am using that as another goal.

I just wanted to take a few minutes to hopefully help motivate someone today, because I have been greatly inspired by reading about other's successes on here. If I can do it, I truly believe anyone can, even if it sometimes feels like you can't. Just keep trying, that's all any of us can do.

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Too embarrassed to take a before photo, but starting my journey, 27M, 6'3" 260 lbs.

I think im stuck in a cycle of feeling bad, so I eat bad, so I dont work out hard. I cant tell where the working out less and eating poorly are in the cycle. I used to be overweight but in good shape. At 6'3" and 240 lbs i could still do 400 to 500 floors on the stairmaster. Im an avid hiker but I want to get more into rock and ice climbing. My goal weight i think is probably 200 in the long term like next fall, but I really want to get down to 225 by my birthday in June.

Diet... my breakfast is pretty regimented. I have 4 to 5 eggs with cheese and hot sauce in a burrito wrap. Lunch is usually a chicken breast and sometimes some lettuce or spinach. Dinner is usually pasta. I struggle the most with portion control and ordering out because I feel badly. I think there's a bit of underlying SAD at play and I quit smoking 3 months ago which didn't help the weight loss but is still the right move.

I think ill struggle with discipline the most and getting into a groove. Once I'm in the groove I can hold it pretty well. Open to all advice, part of this is that I'm hoping by writing this down and tracking the loss on a Google sheet will help me hold myself accountable. I am also going to try to switch to morning workouts, the gyms so packed at nights now that I dont like being there.

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from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/2VyG6iK

Day 1? Starting your weight loss journey on Thursday, 03 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.

• Quick Start Guide - Build your foundation!
• Loseit Compendium - Frame it out!
• FAQ - Answers to our most Frequently Asked Questions!

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After I lost weight, I became very angry.

26M, 6'4", SW: 345lbs, CW: 196lbs

I lost weight over a year and a half. I just did CICO, it's what works for me (and in general IMHO) I reached 200lbs when I was in 5th grade (I remember my grandpa weighing me and him being in disbelief), and I got up to 300lbs by my freshman year of high school. I went through a lot of shit and dealt with it by eating. I attributed a lot of problems to my weight.

I wasn't able to see it so much at the time (2018). But once I reached the period where the weight was gone and people were complimenting me, flirting with me, and asking me for weight loss advice, I became angry as hell. I was so fucking angry at the people around me. Because once I lost weight, they smiled at me, held the door for me, and treated me like a real person. They didn't before. Before, nobody gave a shit about me and when I needed help, no one was there. But now they act like they're so happy for me and interested in my health.

I can't explain the level of anger that came out. It was 100% unexpected. But I slowly began to hate everyone who knew me back when I was heavy. Probably also because I hate and am embarrassed by who I was - I was so young and didn't know what was going on. I resented having missed experiences and feeling less than others for it. Talking to people who knew me back then is absolutely my least favorite thing, because they remember someone who doesn't exist anymore.

I needed so much help when I was growing up and absolutely no one was there. When I was at school and constantly alone, crying and staying home often, I wonder if the school would've taken more of an interest if I was conventionally attractive.

I was so angry at others for leaving me alone for so many years, then all the sudden I'm cool and they want to talk to and encourage me. Like sorry but shove it up your ass.

Did anyone else feel this way after losing weight?

I am still so surprised when I feel this way. I don't know if I like it or not.

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One Year and 42kgs/90lbs later. My Journey. Things I learnt. Mistakes I made.

One year ago today, I began my weight loss journey (Again). I was a hefty 120kg (Approx.. 264lbs). When you’re that heavy or heavier, you'd know that everyday is a struggle. Hell breathing is hard... But I decided I had enough. Of all the years I could have decided to do it this year had to be it (COVID, University, Essential employment). Originally my goal weight was 80kgs. Today I weighed in at 78kg at 14.5% body fat (That’s about a 42kgs/90lbs loss). A size 42 to 32 in pant! XXXL to Small/Medium.

Sadly, I didn't really take a proper before photo. I was just that ashamed. I had also tried so many times to lose the weight, I honestly didn't think this time it'd stick. However, I do have some photos of big me. I'll put a before and after link thing of me somewhere.

https://imgur.com/a/mq4LWo4 (Or right here)

During my weight loss, I tried so many damn diets. CICO worked for me for about 2 months before I began to plateau. It wasn't to hard to start of with apart from cutting a lot of sugars out (fun fact, sugar addiction is very real and withdrawing from it sucks big time). If it works for you stick with it, if not shake it up a little. But do your research.

Keto was effective but...certain bodily functions DID NOT enjoy it. Again, your experience may vary, as long as you’re getting your vitamins and minerals from the food and are not feeling any ill effects. Again research.

Fasting, I consider my biggest mistake, during a fast I found it very easy to under eat. DO NOT UNDER EAT. Your body will hate you for it and will consume your muscles for energy, which in turn will affect your metabolism. However, there are studies into positive effects from fasting. Do your research.

Lastly, the final and most effective diet for me was simply, Increase Protein Intake. I felt fuller for longer after meals thus I naturally ate less calories due to that feeling. Additionally, it helped promote muscle retention/growth.

I'm not going to make any recommendations with diets, we are all different, this is just my experience.

However, things I DO recommended:

• Take progress pictures
• Get a body scan (the first results may be scary but when you get to that goal. You'll be impressed)
• Brag. What you are doing is great, its hard. Not a lot of people try to lose weight and based on facts even less succeed. Brag about your progress. (Hell even if its just on reddit!).
• RESEARCH. RESEARCH. RESEARCH. I'm not talking about YouTube videos or health websites. I'm talking Peer Reviewed Journal Articles. Yes, they are boring, but the science is all there. I will throw a list of my favourite articles at the bottom of this.
• Find a gym pal!
• Set small achievable goals i.e. Jog an extra 200m after a month. Usually, you'll exceed those smaller goals! It will feel great!
• If your gonna cheat, cheat meals not cheat days. A particularly bad cheat day can potentially ruin a week of progress. Speaking from experience.
• FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING GOOD LEFT OF THIS PLANET. SLEEP!

Things I DO NOT recommended:

• Don't under eat. Obvious reason is obvious.
• Don't weigh yourself everyday.
• Don't let others get you down.
• Don't over do it on the exercise. If your body is screaming stop. Best listen to it.

Somethings that aren’t really talked about:

• Buying new clothes is great but after owning literally every size from XXXL to S, kind of sucks (AND COST SO DAMN MUCH). During your heavy weight loss times maybe shopping at thrift shops could cut costs.
• People at the gym aren’t really paying attention to you. That guy lifting weights in the corner. He is looking at himself in the mirror. Trust me. (Because he is me).

In closing. This past year has been so damn hard. I wanted to give up so bad. I can't tell you how I kept going because I honestly don't know. But now its time to make some new goals, a lean bulk is my next big goal. So, maybe you'll see me around r/loseit in the future. This is a great community and its helped a lot (I've been a lurker for a while). Good luck everyone currently losing weight, Its a tough time do it but I believe in you!

Journal Articles:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3661116/

https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/101/6/1320S/4564492

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Is this a healthy way to lose weight?

Before I start: I wanna say that I am NOT promoting anything here! I am just genuinely asking a question, please don't take this post as me saying you should do this, I'm not even sure if I should do this. I am just asking for advice.

My mom did this and she lost around 150lbs; I want to try it, too. It worked so well for her so maybe it would work really well for me?

I'm 5'1, female, around 260lbs. I'd like to have a starter goal of losing 30. My big goal is to get down to 160lbs! When I was 16, I was 330lbs - now I'm 21 and have managed to stay pretty much between 200-220, but quarantine and a difficult breakup (abusive relationship) caused me to gain a ton of weight due to emotional eating. I'm ready to change! It took me so long as a teenager going to the gym every day after school to get down to 200lbs, I hate that I've gained 60lbs back...

My mom used to use protein shakes when she was first starting her weight loss journey. She'd have a shake for breakfast, a small snack, a shake for lunch, another small snack, and a light dinner in the evening. Coupled with lots of water and light exercise, she lost a lot of weight.

I was talking to some of my friends who are really into fitness - half say it's healthy and safe and it's a good idea for me to try, half say it's extremely unhealthy and likely to cause me to gain even more weight. I'm confused!

What are your opinions on this? Is this a good method of weight loss? If I decide to do it, will I cause myself any harm to my health? I really just want to lose weight and be healthy. I'm currently on a medication that reduces my appetite by a LOT so most of the time I only eat 1x per day anyway...I am almost never hungry in the morning or at lunch, only hungry by dinner, so maybe incorporating shakes would actually help...?

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How do you even make sustainable changes?

Hey

​

I have been dieting since forever. But in the past two years I successful lost ~50lbs. In the last 2 months however, I was so stressed and busy with work I had no time for myself so I "reverted" back to my old habits. I gained 10lbs.

​

It took me SO MUCH to lose these 50lbs. I tried different methods. I evaluated their effect on my body/mood. I stuck with the most sustainable ones for me. I thought that I CHANGED but then when life happened all of that went away and I'm back to square one. I am even more annoyed at how easy it is to gain weight yet losing weight take me so much discipline.

I think I know my problem: I get hungry easily, and when I do I tend to eat whatever that fills my stomach fast because I'm busy and I have to go back to work quickly. So what happens usually is that I eat bread with anything. Then I get hungry again after an hour or so, I eat corn flakes. Then I get hungry again and this cycle continues. The habits that I build over the last two years are:

• fasting: I usually get hungry half an hour after a meal. I read online that this is due to a sugar spike(?) so basically it's not real hunger. Fasting REALLY helped me control my hunger and suppress it
• eating two BIG meals: since I eat many mini meals (mini in size not calories), I combined fasting with eating two big meals a day only and the results were amazing!
• keeping up a journal: I write what I eat, how I feel about it: deliciousness, effect on body (some food make me gassy or feel like throwing up), fullness after the meal and so on
• calorie counting: I only did it shortly because I tend to eat the same thing over and over, so even without counting I knew how many calories were in my food

Oh and exercise. Although I consider it to be something for my sake not really something for weight loss.

What I'm trying to say is, I keep following everyone's advice on taking small steps (I mean I lost 50 lbs in TWO years ...) and changing the habits and I was able to do all of that. But in reality no matter how sweet all of that sounds the moment I was put under stress again I gained 10 lbs back. I am tired of yo-yo dieting and stress from work is already eating me. Adding stress from weight gain is not helping me at all :(

I also hate how I now KNOW that if I ever stopped consciously dieting, I will not be able to maintain my weight let alone lose some weight.

​

Basically, what do you all mean when you say sustainable habits? I thought sticking to something for two years is surely gonna make this habit a lifetime habit? How can I make being healthy a second nature to me not something discipline myself to do?

​

For reference I am 200lbs now. my goal weight is around 150lbs.

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