How low should I go?

So I’m 18M six feet tall and I had a massive weight loss from 270- 162 (atm I’m closer to 165) but I still had some fat in my midsection particularly in the lower back, buttocks, and upper thigh region. I run a lot. I like it and I know it works. Why can’t I seem to lose this padding? I’m thinking of cutting down to 150. Would this work? Is there something else I should be doing (yes, I know weight lifting- I have to do exercises specifically for my thoracic spine to straighten that out and that’s my main concern in that arena atm) Oh and I already have developed loose skin and I can’t afford surgery, do those firming creams work and if so how much?

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Another frustrating scale post

I've seen some frustration about how people's scales don't seem to be moving in the right direction, and this prompted me to talk about my situation atm.

​

I've list around 40 pounds in the past year and a half. I feel super accomplished about this since I started losing weight once I injured my ACL/meniscus. Since then, I've gone through a surgery, a breakup, and a pandemic. Go me!

Once the new year set in, and vaccine news started rolling in, I've made big changes to the way I eat so that I can "accelerate" my weight loss before the summer starts here in Northeast US.

These include:

1) Only using avocado oil spray instead of olive oil/butter

2) Cooking eggs in a ceramic container in the microwave with no oil

3) Tracking my rest day/active day calories and macros on a daily basis

4) Almost completely stopped binge drinking. Last year I still drank plenty (beer too) and lose weight, now I've been sticking to mixed drinks with no cal mixers.

5) Doing two-a-days almost every day. Working out once during my lunch break (I WFH), and once in the evening (kettlebells/cardio/bodyweight)

​

Needless to say, after 2 months and a half, the scale has not budged. I mean AT ALL. I started out at 170 min going into 2021, and the scale this morning read 171.5..

​

Am I fitting better in my clothes? Yes. Am I getting compliments about my weight loss and muscle gain? Yes. Can I start seeing my abs? Yes.

This was basically a rant but I think once you get to a certain point where you're plateauing, its better to focus on the NSVs! Carry on my friends

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Becoming a bit obsessed.. and wondering if it means I have an eating disorder?

• Starting weight 310lbs
• Current weight 281.8lbs
• Weight lost - 28.2lbs
• Goal weight 137lbs
• Left to go 144.8lbs

I’m on day 73 of my weight loss journey and it’s going really well so far. I’ve lost 28.2 pounds.

I’m extremely sedentary due to a bad back and fibromyalgia so per my doctors orders I’m on a 1200 calorie a day plan. Aiming for 140g of protein a day.

Before I get into my question I want to preface it by noting that I have bipolar and ptsd and adhd. So I’m in therapy weekly and on a lot of medication. I think this is relevant because I might be hyperfocusing (adhd symptom) or possibly being hypomanic (bipolar symptom) so my issue could be explained via my mental illnesses.

But anyway. Since I’ve been on my weight loss journey I’ve become super preoccupied with all things food / weight loss. I’ve been spending all my free time planning out meals and checking my fitness pal and happy scale and looking up recipes and calories and stuff like that. I wasn’t into any of this before the weight loss journey started. And now it’s like I can’t think about anything else.

Basically I’m wondering is this normal when people first start weight loss journeys? Or if this is an eating disorder? Should I be telling my therapist / psychiatrist about this?

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only my thin friends have commented on my weight loss 😂

It’s kind of funny. Everyone else in my life has said nothing, and I was feeling kind of down about it .... and now in the past 2 days my 2 thin friends have commented very positively!! 😂

and I hate to say I care but it’s been a nice ego boost 😂 I even saved one of the texts 😂 (what am I, 12?)

I guess I understand because when I was obese I used to literally not see fat or thin or in between.... consciously blocking it out I suppose ?? And when people would talk about workouts or gyms or anything having to do with healthy diet I would literally back away and quit listening ! I still remember my thin friends talking about black coffee and me just laughing about how they would have to pry away my sugar and heavy cream in my coffee! (And here I am drinking black coffee 24-7)

For better or worse I think this “journey” has made me aware of .... how other people look !? Good or bad, it’s true!! Aaahhh

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6 Reasons Why Spring is the Best Season for Healthy Weight Loss

Whether you want to lose weight for your health or to get ready for swimsuit season, choosing the spring season to get started is a smart decision. Spring is your friend.

The warmer weather offers you some perks that the other seasons don’t, starting with the ones you know about (more opportunity to exercise outside in the sunshine) and a few you don’t (you may be automatically eating less anyway).

Here are six surprising reasons why you should “spring” into a new healthy weight loss plan like Nutrisystem when Daylight Savings Time kicks in.

5 Spring Weight Loss Tips Guaranteed to Work

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1. You may already be cutting calories and not know it.

On average, people eat about 86 fewer calories in the spring than in the fall, according to one study, published in the journal Nature. Previous studies found a 222-calorie difference between fall and spring.¹

No one is really sure why. Some researchers think it could be that, like chipmunks, we tend to eat more to stockpile calories during the winter months. Then when spring arrives, we automatically cut back. However, other scientists think it could be due to the holidays and increased opportunities to indulge.² Whatever the reason, we love the fact that spring offers more opportunities to get active and enjoy lighter meals with fresher ingredients.

2. Exercising in the heat may burn more calories.

Yes, your body burns calories when you’re cold just to keep you warm. But it may do an even better job when you’re already warm. Some studies suggest that you might expend more cardiovascular energy pumping blood to your skin to make sweat to cool off than you do shivering to make yourself warmer, says the American Council on Exercise (ACE).³

There’s also more opportunities to get active with warmer weather. Take a walk at the park, go for a hike or do some yardwork. Spring cleaning will also get you up and moving. Check out the link below for nine warm weather activities that can help you boost your burn!:

9 Warm Weather Activities that Torch Calories

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3. Lighter and healthier food is more available.

Farmers markets are starting to open, offering crisp lettuces, spring onions, fresh peas, slender stalks of asparagus, tender fiddleheads, sweet strawberries and cherries. Mac and cheese is now starting to look less appetizing, while lightly dressed salads and handfuls of fresh fruit are your biggest temptations (feel free to indulge!). And barring Easter, Passover and upcoming barbecues, there aren’t really a lot of holidays that are a minefield of delicious but high-calorie and fatty foods.

Not sure what’s in season during spring? Stock up these eight seasonal ingredients that are at the top of our spring shopping list! >

4. Sunshine makes you happier.

Weather matters to your mood. Exposure to the sun may help you feel more positive and that can give you more impetus and motivation to lose weight successfully.⁴ Who makes that kind of huge undertaking while feeling negative and discouraged?

Winter is the worst time for people who suffer from mood disorders.⁵ There is even a specific type of seasonal depression known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a condition often treated with light therapy.⁶ Speak to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about SAD or any other mood disorders.

The difference between winter and fall versus spring and summer? More sunlight and more serotonin. According to ScienceDaily, serotonin regulates emotions, mood and energy. Citing research out of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, they explain that “serotonin transporter levels,” which remove serotonin, were greater in study subjects in the fall and winter in comparison to the spring and summer. Therefore, “this discovery argues that there is more serotonin removal in the fall/winter as compared to spring/summer. Also, the higher serotonin transporter binding values occurred at times when there is less sunlight,” says ScienceDaily.⁷

5. You may synthesize more vitamin D.

Another benefit of having longer sunny days in spring is that you’re outside more and your body is producing more vitamin D. The fat-soluble vitamin is found in very few dietary sources. It is made naturally in the body when the sun’s ultraviolet rays land on the skin, says The National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.⁸

According to research, published in the journal Nutrients, low vitamin D levels are associated with higher Body Mass Index (BMI) and obesity. On the other side, weight loss has been shown to lead to increased vitamin D levels.⁹

There are many theories on why this association exists and more research is needed on the matter. However, it’s no secret that vitamin D is needed for proper health. This fact alone is a good excuse to get outside and get a little sunshine, making spring a great time to start that outdoor walking regimen.

6. You may sleep better.

Another benefit of spring’s increased hours of daylight is that it can help adjust your body’s own natural sleep-wake rhythm so you’re more likely to be sleepy at night and perkier in the morning, according to the Sleep Foundation.¹⁰ 

What does sleep have to do with weight loss? According to the Sleep Foundation, study after study has shown that getting too little sleep can increase your risk of weight gain and obesity. One reason: Lack of sleep can affect the production of your body’s appetite hormones, increasing the one that tells you to eat and decreasing the levels of the one that tells you that you’re full and to stop eating. Research has also found that not getting enough sleep can make you hungrier, especially for quick-energy foods like refined carbohydrates (bread, cake, cookies, and other sweets).¹¹

Another reason that the spring season is the best time to help you lose weight? All that sunlight can help boost your vitamin D levels. Just as vitamin D may brighten your mood, it can also help regulate your sleep cycle. Low vitamin D levels are linked to sleeplessness, short sleep duration, poor sleep quality and sleep disorders, according to a 2018 review article, published in the journal Nutrients.¹²

Spring into weight loss and get healthy this season with a convenient meal delivery service! Get started with Nutrisystem weight loss plan today >

How to Spring Clean Your Way to Weight Loss

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Sources: 

1. https://www.nature.com/articles/1602346#bib6
2. https://www.npr.org/2011/12/19/143938954/winter-munchies-do-we-eat-more-in-colder-months
3. https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/lifestyle/blog/1061/do-i-burn-more-calories-when-it-is-hot-outside-or-cold/
4. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/phpp.12396
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3779905/
6. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20364651
7. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080908101620.htm
8. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/
9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3705328/
10. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/bedroom-environment/light-and-sleep
11. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-health/weight-loss-and-sleep
12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6213953/

The post 6 Reasons Why Spring is the Best Season for Healthy Weight Loss appeared first on The Leaf.

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F/24/5'3" Progress Pictures & Story - Say Yes to the Dress Edition

Pictures

September 2020 -> March 2021

Weight Progress
230lb -> 180lb
Goal weight: 130lb

Following "before" measurements taken at 220lb;
Waist
39" -> 31"

Hips
48" -> 42.5"

Thigh
28" -> 23.5"

Calf
16.7" -> 14" (this one shocked me lol)

Biceps
14" -> 12"

Chest (under bust)
36" -> 32"

Bust remained the same.

Hey everyone! I don't post here, I'm a major lurker here and other weight loss subs. I wanted to celebrate this milestone! I have been in a plateau since I fell into a mild depression, followed by my dog dying suddenly in February, haven't budged from 180lb since I lost the motivation to be as disciplined as I was. Unfortunately while dealing with more stress than usual I have been more focused on maintaining & not resorting to my old eating habits. By March 2020 my goal was to be between 165-175lb, I didn't hit this goal. So going into my dress fitting yesterday, for the dress I didn't fit in when I bought it in September 2020, I was very very nervous.

How did I end up to be 5'3" & 230lb? BMI 40.7

Despite being in a normal BMI for a good portion my teenage years, like most of you I have the typical sob story that leads to gaining massive amounts of weight. Medical conditions & medication that increase appetite, an overweight childhood, mildly deformed feet & ankles that make regular physical activity painful, sedentary lifestyle. I also quit smoking (smoked for 7 years!) in 2019 which I replaced with near-daily trips to dairy queen for several weeks.

Motivation

I'm getting married! I never imagined I would be a "fat bride". This is a very minor, superficial, but not completely without merit motivation of mine. The complete health kick (including weight loss) that I've been on has been in preparation of being a healthy mother, based on the mountains of evidence that being overweight/obese has a negative impact on pregnancy, and later your child's upbringing (don't want your kid to pick up your bad habits!).

Advice I'd like to give to others;

Take ownership of your excuses. Your medical condition didn't make you gain weight. You gained weight using your medical condition as an excuse, or ignoring how you should eat/behave in relation to that condition to be healthy. This isn't evil, admitting this isn't shameful. It happens for so many people. But you can't stay in that mindset. You can't change this behavior, and change your lifestyle, without taking ownership of your lifestyle and the reasons you have that lifestyle. "Stop letting life happen to you".

How did I lose 50lb in 5 months?

Keto & calorie counting. For me the biggest obstacle for weight loss has always been my massive appetite. Keto is the only lifestyle I have tried/done that keeps my appetite under control. I have a number of food allergies (nuts!) that make this diet look difficult at first glance. I strongly recommend this diet even to people with food restrictions & allergies & general pickiness. After the first few weeks, it becomes a breeze. I used to hate fatty meats and certain vegetables. Things I wouldn't touch with a ten foot poll last year are now part of my weekly menu (ie. bacon & cauliflower).

Do your own keto research. I don't want to go into the keto mistakes and misconceptions right now, discuss your keto diet plan with someone who has succeeded with keto. The internet is riddled with bad keto advice. Take everything you read about keto with a grain of salt. Look at every product listed as "keto" with extreme suspicion.

The ONLY keto substitutes that have become part of my day/week;

St Joseph Bakery pita & lavash bread
Shirataki noodles
Slimfast Keto meal replacement - brownie flavour

Absolutely ignore all keto sweet recipes. Or keto-substitute recipes. It's not worth it. Every time I've attempted it it tastes like crap and costs an arm and a leg to make. Some of the most disappointing days of my life were days I spent trying to make things like keto cookies. Buy pre-made keto sweets like Good Fat Bars, Lilli's chocolates, Russel Stovers chocolate, for a rare treat. Learn from my mistakes.

Scheduled monthly cheat days kept my "bad food" cravings at bay. Highly recommend scheduled cheat days. Spontaneous cheat days are a recipe for disaster.

Keto is not as expensive as it seems at first because despite eating a lot of pricier foods such as meat, you eat less than you did before.

I did my calorie counting with the loseit app. With premium you can easily see what your net carbs are at. The $25/year was worth the convenience for me. Calorie counting is a touchy subject on the weight loss subs. Everyone has their own idea about what is or isn't a healthy amount of calories. Or that it doesn't matter what you eat, as long as you do CICO. It does matter. Without getting controversial, the main thing to keep in mind is that high fat diets satiate you more than low fat diets. It's way easier to lose weight when you aren't constantly hungry.

I am extremely lazy and sedentary. I don't work out. I barely walk. I average 500-2000 steps a day. If you ever step counted you know how stupidly low this is. I still lost 50lb. I ignore everyone that tells me to work out. I don't want to. I'm a big believer in not doing things I don't want to do whenever I can help it. I've tried the gym before multiple times. Sometimes it worked for me sometimes it didn't. How did I lose 50lb walking 800 steps a day and spending 23/24 hours on my ass?

Very low calorie diet supplemented by a number of multi vitamins. Why did this work? I wasn't hungry due to my calories coming mostly from fat. Did I do this with my doctor and do blood work? Yes. Am I a very short and lazy woman? Yes. When I'm disciplined I do around 1000 calories a day. If you sound anything like me, ask your doctor what works for you. I don't strictly 1000cal every day. Some days are 800 cal, some days are 1500 cal. But I almost always end my week under the weekly calorie budget.

An average day I just pulled out of my loseit app when I'm actively calorie restricting looks like;

7am: slimfast keto shake 200cal (2g net carbs, 15g fat, 8g protein)
I LOVE this shake. I have a major sweet tooth and this is like drinking a fat bottle of chocolate milk every morning. It keeps me full until I finish work. I drink at least 2-3 coffees at work every day, and tons of water, this also helps keep me full.
3pm: 2 cups of cauliflower rice, which I get a little naughty with 1-2 tsp of soy sauce (1.3 net carb a tsp)
6oz pork tenderloin cooked in olive oil w/ onions (huge portion for me)
& Asparagus with butter (about 8-12 spears depending how hungry I am)
447cal, 6.8 net carbs, 20.2g fat, 49.8g protein
8pm: st jospeh pita bread with kirkland brand goat cheese and some genoa salami is my near daily snack if I get peckish while watching youtube, I could probably eat this for lunch instead but I don't get hungry at lunch anymore
190cal, 6.8 net carbs, 11.1g fat, 14.2g protein

Day total: 830 calories, 52% of my calories coming from fat.
16.4g net carbs, 46.4g fat, 72g protein

I want to stress that I am not promoting extreme calorie deficits. I want to promote that you may not know what kind of deficit works for you until you consult your doctor. The internet likes to tout one-size fits all calorie deficits such as 1200, 1500, or 2000, but talk to your doctor!

P.S. Second dog tax photo of the puppy my parents are getting for the family.

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Frustrated with plateaus and setbacks

I’ve been on a weight loss journey for the past 4 years. In the past 3 I have been living in Japan transplanted from the US. I was able to get away from most of my bad fast food habits that I relied on in the states and found a nice cardio gym to work out at. I try to spend as much time being active as I can with running, cycling or pole dancing. However, size here is a really big issue and I just can’t get any clothes that look good or make me feel good at my size here. I must stress, that this part is just awful.

I want to hit my goal weight before the end of spring, but I’ve been super frustrated that none of my recent efforts from the start of this year have seem to work. I’ve increased my vegetable intake while lowering carbs and have tried to restrict calories, but I get terrible headaches if I don’t get enough in my system or feel like I’m getting low blood sugar. I also am practicing baking for my café and can’t help but give into my cravings sometimes.

I just need some sort of advice or support on how to break this last barrier. Thanks.

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