Thoughts on the final 15 pounds

Hi all - long time lurker first time poster.

My weight loss journey started 3 years ago after the birth of my second child. It’s been a very long process with a lot of inconsistencies and ups and downs but I’m happy to report that today I am 5 pounds away from my goal weight. I wanted to post about losing the final 15 as that has been the hardest for me personally and what I struggled with for the majority of those 3 years. Something clicked recently and sharing these tips is aimed at documenting for myself and in case they might help someone else struggling with the same.

Stats:

Height: 5’10

F

Starting weight (directly post-partum): 197

Current weight: 150

Goal weight: 145. But more concerned with composition at this point than the number.

Thoughts on final 15:

-Moderation of sweets/carbs/junk does not work for me. With a low calorie budget (1300 if sedentary) EVERY calorie needs to be satisfying, nutritious, and positive for weight loss. I cut sugar, gluten, grains, and booze in January for other health reasons and that’s when final 15 weight loss really kicked into gear and clicked. Now I will set aside a cheat meal every three weeks or so if I want any of these items. I essentially eat strict whole 30 paleo and it seems to be a sweet spot.

-With the final 15, exercise is essential! Almost every day I am either rowing on the rowing machine, hiking, lifting weights, walking several miles. I let myself mix it up instead of having a set routine. I give myself a break day based on feeling instead of following a schedule. If I feel truly fatigued I will take it easy. I aim to tire my body out each day in one form or another (the same way I try to tire out my kids). Figure out how to integrate as much movement as possible into daily life.*

-Tracking calories in a sustainable way. Logging food is basic - but I found in the past I burned out pretty fast on the process. With this final phase I have found that tracking my food without being soooo detail oriented around weighing everything is okay because I am being so active and way more sustainable. I do not eat back any calories unless my body feels truly in need.

-A carrot works well for me. I booked a mini vacation in early summer. Y’all, I want to look good in a bikini. No “mom” swimsuits for me anymore. I bought swimsuits that I loved but are slightly outside of my comfort zone. It is fun to look forward to and motivating to continue my weight loss and fitness journey. Find something to look forward to that is also motivating for your weight loss journey.

-Lose the mental weight. In the past 3 months, I have been focused on losing some of my own mental and emotional baggage and working on some self-improvement on other areas of my life. I don’t know what direct impact this has had on my physical weight but I figure it won’t hurt. Besides the body, what else is weighing you down?

You all are sooo inspirational. I love this subreddit and I wish the best for all of you. Hopefully some of this is helpful for you but YMMV. It look me a long time to figure out what works for me and I firmly believe everyone so different. Good luck on your own unique journey.

*My body was totally fucked after having a (rather large) baby. I could not do, and still struggle with, any high impact exercises. Physical therapy is something I will be doing as soon as I can make it work with my schedule but it took a long time for me to figure out what activities would work for my new body. Any postpartum ladies out there feel free to message me or comment if you want to talk more about this. The rowing machine has been a godsend.

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It’s National Gardening Day! 7 Surprising Benefits of Gardening

Gardening might not be high on your list of priorities this season but if your mental, physical and emotional health are important to you, it should be. But, there are many gardening benefits that assist with a healthy lifestyle.

From boosting your immune system to cutting your risk of heart attack and stroke, a growing body of research suggests that there are a multitude of gardening benefits associated with this simple act.

Gardening With Scott: 8 Easy Herbs to Harvest

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Here are seven gardening benefits that help with healthy living:

1. It relieves stress.

Multiple studies suggest that gardening can lower levels of cortisol, the infamous stress hormone. One study published in the Journal of Health Psychology compared the effects of gardening to reading, and found that while each led to decreases in cortisol, decreases were significantly stronger in the gardening group. Other research indicates that gardening also has a positive impact on high blood pressure and glucose levels.

2. It makes you happy.

In the study referenced above, the group that gardened reported being in a better mood than those in the reading group. That’s probably because gardening has been associated with an increase in the levels of serotonin, the “feel good hormone.”

And according to a meta-analysis published in the Preventive Medicine Reports, gardening is associated with reductions in depression and anxiety, as well as increases in life satisfaction, quality of life and a general sense of community.

3. It gets you moving.

Weeding, digging, twisting, bending, squatting, pulling… gardening requires a lot of activity. And according to the Texas A&M University Horticulture program, even less intense gardening tasks can burn up to 300 calories an hour. Add spading, lifting, tilling and raking to the mix, and you’ll also increase muscle tone and strength.

Bonus: Gardening is a great low-impact exercise, perfect for those with joint pain.

Gardening With Scott: 8 Easy Herbs to Harvest

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4. It keeps your weight in check.

All that movement can add up: A study published in the American Journal of Public Health revealed that people who partake in community gardening have a lower body mass index and a lower chance of being overweight or obese than those who do not garden.

5. It may lower dementia risk.

Studies reveal that getting your hands dirty in the garden may actually improve your memory. And a study published in the Medical Journal of Australia found that gardening can decrease the risk of dementia by close to 40 percent. Researchers theorize that it’s the hand-eye coordination and sensory awareness that may be to thank.

6. It gives you a vitamin D boost.

According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, nearly one billion people have inadequate levels of vitamin D in their blood. This is of concern since being deficient in vitamin D may increase the risk of several chronic conditions, including osteoporosis, heart disease, multiple sclerosis and even some cancer.

Since vitamin D is not available in many foods, one of the best ways to increase synthesis of the “sunshine vitamin” is to be exposed to sunlight. And research supports this: In a 2014 study published on the National Institutes of Health website, exposure to sunlight helped older adults achieve adequate serum vitamin D levels.

Gardening outdoors is an easy way to soak up the sun and increase vitamin D.

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 7. It can help your diet.

Multiple studies indicate that gardeners are more likely to consume vegetables when compared with non-gardeners. In fact, a study out of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences found that people who learn to garden are far more likely to eat the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables a day–and they also enjoy eating them more than non-gardeners.

That’s probably because growing your own fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices is a great way to ensure you always have delicious, healthy snacks and ingredients on hand.

Bonus: By growing your own produce, you can be confident that no chemicals or pesticides have been used.

Ready to reap the gardening benefits? Check out this article >

The post It’s National Gardening Day! 7 Surprising Benefits of Gardening appeared first on The Leaf.

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I’m down 22lbs since February and I’m just so proud of myself!

In February, my boyfriend and I decided to finally start watching what we ate in order to lose weight. I really didn’t want to do it but I know I HAD to do it. I started at 181lbs. A few weeks later, I was diagnosed with insulin resistance (I have PCOS) and have already lost around 7lbs. At that point, I had a goal of reversing the insulin resistance because who actually wants diabetes?

I ended up losing 11lbs my first month and around 10lbs the second month. Now I’m under 160 and I haven’t been this weight since around 2012.

I’m starting to see how much smaller my stomach and arms have gotten. My legs don’t rub together as much anymore. I can fit in a size 8 shorts!

I still have about 20lbs I want to lose but I’m just so inspired by myself. I’ve always struggled with weight loss and could never do it. I know I can do it this time and I can’t wait to see what my body will look like.

Next month I’m asking for new bloodwork so here’s to hoping I’ve made a dent in reversing my insulin resistance!

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Can I just be angry about something here?

I didn’t want to lose a bunch of weight when I started. I have no stunning “before” photo to show that I’ve lost 30lbs and counting but mow that I’m in it, and I’m seeing effects, I’m angry.

Why, for the love of God WHY did it take a scary few days and a needle in my back in a hospital room where I had lost partial vision for me to even think about embarking on a healthier journey with my relationship with food?

Why had I let it come this damn far to begin with?!

In August of 2020, I was 185lbs and 5’1. That is a BMI of 35. 35, people!

And folks were getting angry at my neuro -ophthalmologist for telling me I needed to lose weight because “I carried it well” and “looked just fine”

And that bled over into how I interacted with him and we butted heads a few times over the issue so it made me apprehensive to seek his advice with my literal rare damn disease. That is so irresponsible on my part, and who knows how much further along I could be if I hadn’t pushed back against the weight loss at the start?

(Granted, I did feel like he was obsessive with it a bit until I put my foot down and said “buddy I’ve been losing lots of weight... maybe just once per appointment is plenty enough to ask” lol)

But all this is to say I’ve been really putting myself to work trying to shed the weight through CICO as I am exercise intolerant. And it has really made me more analytical of what I put into my body.

And it has also made me so frustrated at my past self for letting myself get this far. This year I’m dealing with health issue after health issue. And even though at 152lbs (a BMI of 28.7) I’m not obese anymore, I am still overweight. I had some scopes done yesterday. They found things, “usually found in patients over the age of 60 or in obese/overweight patients”

I’m fucking 27 years old, y’all 😒

I mean, I know it can’t ALL be blamed on the weight but as certain healthcare providers in my life have made sure to let me know, it can play a big factor...

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Found a new weight loss podcast with 200+ episodes and thought I'd share

Found this podcast searching for menopause related stuff, but found out it's mostly about weight loss from a psychological perspective (very light on the actual menopause):

https://drdebbutler.com/tpim001-introducing-thinner-peace-menopause-podcast

So have a look, if you like a gentle kick in the butt.

Other weight loss podcasts I like:

https://www.halfsizeme.com/

The host, Heather, has lost 170 pounds and kept them off for 8+ years. She is all about breaking the diet cycle and losing weight with a maintenance mindset.

https://www.brainoverbinge.com

This one is mostly about recovery from binge eating and tends to be anti diet, but I find the podcast, especially the first 10 episodes, very helpful for dealing with urges.

All have lots of free content.

Do you have any more tips?

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From Fat to 5K

Hello people! I just signed up for a 5K in October, and I currently weigh 330 pounds. I’m a 29 year old man. I’ve always been the fat guy. I was at 360 pounds 3 years ago, and 295 1.5 years ago, and I’ve been on a constant yo-yo. My goal is to develop a lifestyle that revolves around exercise and eating a “runner’s diet”. Im using the 5K as a catalyst for my weight loss, because I will absolutely not go out there to race and embarrass myself. I’m going to be tracking my progress daily on my personal page, and I’ll be providing milestone updates on loseit from time to time. If anyone else is desperately needing to get the weight off, I’d love to see you sign up for a 5K in the fall, and train and prepare with me (remotely) over the next 6 months. We can do this!

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Stretch marks = loose skin?

Hello all,

Quick context I am a 6’1 male 220 pounds. Before quarantine about 8 months ago I was 160. I’ve gained a ton of weight and as a result am covered in stretch marks.

Now, I don’t mind the stretch marks on my butt and thighs as even before when I was VERY skinny I had stretch marks form just growing tall. However, I have now RED, deep, and large stretch marks crawling up my sides. You can see them clearly if I were shirtless but wearing pants.

Now, keep in mind I am tall and with a large sweatshirt you wouldn’t look at me and think I’m over weight even though I very much am. So, the weight has been decently evenly distributed that I’m not overly large in any certain spot hut I’ve still come down with an abundance of stretch marks.

To get to my point and my question, do stretch marks always equal loose skin? I am on my weight loss journey right now doing intermittent fasting as well ass cutting our carbs and sugar in addition to light work outs. How can I avoid loose skin? Will the stretch’s marks always remain red even after weight loss?

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