Tuesday, October 19, 2021

What’s your Motivation for weight loss?

Overall, I just want to feel and be healthier, but in a more superficial way, I want to LOOK better. The reality for me personally, my mental health is way better when I actually feel good about myself. (Not saying you couldn’t or shouldn’t feel good about yourself at a heavier weight. This is just me personally)

Also, I might be a bit of a hypochondriac. My mother-in-law, who I loved like my own mom, passed away in may. She had type 2 diabetes and died by a massive heart attack at the age of 55. She was 270lb and both me and my SO were devastated by it, and we still are. She didn’t manage her diabetes well at all, and we feel for certain that she would still be here with us if she was at a healthy weight. I had gestational diabetes with baby #2 and I know that increases my chances of developing type 2 later in life. I don’t want to struggle like I know my MIL did. I don’t want my family to have to beg me to take care of myself and be heartbroken when I don’t. I want that long active life with my kids, my grandkids, my SO. I don’t want the love of my life to become my caretaker and mourn me before I’m even gone.

I feel like there are a lot of variables for someone’s ‘why’ and it got me wondering other peoples ‘why’s’ that keep them going! So what’s yours?

submitted by /u/potatocasserole11
[link] [comments]

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

I’m no longer prediabetic.

I went in for a checkup, marking my first visit to my doctor since I began my weight loss journey. I’m down 88 pounds since my last visit and it still feels surreal. My nurse and doctor were impressed and congratulated me not only on my weight loss but all of my fitness and athletic gains. It was quite the contrast from last visits when my weight was a decidedly negative issue in our discussions.

They both assured me my blood test results would be “beautiful” this time around, just as my blood pressure reading was in the office. I wanted to believe them but still felt skeptical, almost as if all of these health gains were part of my imagination.

I had just finished a weightlifting session with my personal trainer when my phone alerted me to my test results email. I was anxious as I clicked on the link and loaded the message. “You did it!” wrote my doctor and attached were my perfectly healthy results. I’m no longer prediabetic.

I’ve hit so many weight loss and fitness goals this year. I’ve done so many things I never thought possible. Through it all, I’ve felt like a fraud, like I’m living in my imagination or a dream world. It wasn’t until I read those test results that everything hit me in full force. I really did stop bad health outcomes in their tracks and have built a new better future for myself and my child as well. A few weeks shy of my child’s 15th birthday and I can now say I’m back at my pre-pregnancy weight and have regained my metabolic health again. What a non-scale victory!

submitted by /u/Flourgirl85
[link] [comments]

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/3G1JQzd

I have an eating disorder and I'm just trying my best

Like a lot of people, I gained a lot of weight over quarantine. 50 lbs to be exact. I have binge eating disorder and body dysmorphia and have been in outpatient therapy for it, but it all went to hell in a hand basket when I started working from home. When stay-at-home orders started. I emotionally ate out of fear and anxiety and boredom. I barely left home due to the virus. (For context, I live in New York City, where walking is my life and where we were hit particularly bad from March-May 2020. This is when I gained most of my weight)

I gained an additional 11 pounds due to anti-depressants, so my starting weight when I began some 3 weeks ago was around 261. I am now teetering at about 253, depending on the day, and am maintaining weight loss through calorie deficit. The wake up call I needed was when I got blood work, due to the drug I take, and I was teetering at the lower end of being pre-diabetic, with high cholesterol. Type II Diabetes and heart disease are a serious problem in my family, especially on my mom side. At this point, I'm 35 and I know the time to take action is now.

I am taking it slow and not being very restrictive, just trying to stick around 1300-1600 calories per day and measure and count what I eat. Naturally, I was pretty excited thus far to shed 7 pounds, even if it is likely water weight, so I made mistake #1 and went to social media to talk about it. I immediately had someone in my comments telling me that the answer isn't weight loss, and that I should intuitively eat and not count calories or check my weight. That I shouldn't get obsessed with numbers.

What this person doesn't seem to realize is that I will always be obsessed with numbers, regardless of my weight. I would simply rather be obsessed with numbers weighing at least 75-100 lbs less, in clothes that fit, walking 5-7 miles a day again without getting winded, not having to squeeze myself into chairs or constantly buy new, bigger clothes.

I was simultaneously told to eat what I want, not obsess over numbers, eat intuitively, and learn to love and accept myself. I don't want to accept myself at 261 pounds when my knees hurt, I'm sweating from walking two blocks, my hunger levels are out of control, I'm borderline pre-diabetic, and my cholesterol is high. I can still love myself, and not accept that for my life.

I was told by another dietician on Instagram that I will probably, statistically, gain all my weight back, despite the fact that I am not following a restrictive diet. Last week I wanted two cheese slices at 180 calories each, I had the calorie deficit for it, so I ate those two cheese slices and still lost an extra 2 lbs.

I was so upset I haven't brought it up again, nor do I want to. I just wish weight loss wasn't demonized the way it seems to be these days. Weight loss is transformative and changes peoples lives for the better. Weight loss helps people live longer, more comfortable lives. I intend to count calories even at goal if it means I'll have a healthier relationship with food - and for me, a healthy relationship food equals not binging. With my body dysmorphia (even at my lowest weight of 165 at 5'7", I thought I was the size of a van), it wont solve every problem I have, but it will solve many.

I'm just trying my best, and I wish people would stop taking a crap on that.

submitted by /u/alouise86
[link] [comments]

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/3BRy9ZD

Tantrum Tuesday - The Day to Rant!

I Rant, Therefore I Am

Well bla-de-da-da! What's making your blood boil? What's under your skin? What's making you see red? What's up in your craw? Let's hear your weight loss related rants!

The rant post is a /u/bladedada production.

Please consider saving your next rant for this weekly thread every Tuesday.

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

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/3m2p8rn

5 Full Body Dumbbell Exercises for Your At-Home Fitness Routine

Overwhelming evidence from numerous studies supports the importance of strength training. It can help you slim down and even support overall better health, including healthy aging. A study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, found that resistance training may have more impact on bone density than aerobic exercise. This is especially important to avoid frailty in older age.¹

But for a lot of people, adding strength training to your at-home fitness routine can be intimidating. If you fall into that category, you might be feeling like you don’t even know where to begin.

Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be complicated and you can see great success with minimal equipment for your home workouts. Dumbbell (also called “free weight”) workouts are a great place to start for full body exercises. If you’re a true beginner, use light weight to prevent injury or strain and work your way up to more poundage. As you get started with a dumbbell workout routine, here are five exercises to try.

10 Ten-Minute Workouts

1. Bicep Curl with Dumbbells

an illustration of a woman doing bicep curls

A bicep curl is a weight training exercise that will build strength in your bicep muscles (located at the front of your upper arms). This can be performed seated on a bench or standing. Simply grasp a dumbbell in each hand while letting your arms hang to the sides. Then bring the dumbbells up towards your chest and return them slowly back down to your sides.²

According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), your breathing is of critical importance during a workout.³ You should exhale as you bring the dumbbells into your chest and inhale as you return them to your starting position.² Proper breathing during strength training ensures your body receives the oxygen it requires.

2. Dumbbell Chest Press

an illustration of a woman doing chest presses

The chest press is a classic weight training move and is easy to do with dumbbells. This exercise works your pectorals (chest), deltoids (shoulders) and triceps (arms)—so it’s a triple threat! Start by holding a weight in each hand, slowly lying back on a yoga mat on the floor—or on a bench if you have one. According to ACE, this is a good move to do with a spotter.⁴

Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing forward. With a firm grip on the dumbbells, fully extend your arms, keeping the dumbbells level with or just under your eyes. ACE says to maintain a “neutral wrist position” throughout the exercise. Transition to the downward phase by inhaling and slowly lowering the dumbbells towards your armpits. Lightly touch the dumbbells on your chest: make sure not to bounce the dumbbells on your chest and try not to arch your lower back. Exhale and repeat the upward phase by pushing the dumbbells up until your arms are fully extended again.⁴

ACE also suggests a dumbbell alternating arm chest press as a variation. In this version, you’ll just do one dumbbell at a time.⁵

3. Lunging with Dumbbells

an illustrated image of a woman doing lunges with dumbbells

Did you know that you can use dumbbells to improve your leg training workouts, too? Leg lunges are a popular workout that you may already be familiar with. As you step forward into a lunge position, you strengthen your leg muscles. By adding some weight to your lunges, you create additional work for your upper leg muscles and the muscles of your buttocks.⁶ It’s an easy way to get more out of this workout move.

For a variation to a traditional lunge, ACE suggests trying walking lunges with external rotation. You’ll step forward into lunge position, hold a single dumbbell in both hands and extend your arms in front of you—then rotate to the right. Rotate back to center, pull the dumbbell into your chest and return to standing.⁵

9 Household Items You Can Use for a Home Workout

4. Squatting with Dumbbells

an illustrated image of a woman doing squats with dumbbells

In addition to lunges, you can also incorporate your dumbbell weights into your squat exercises. With weights, your body will burn more calories and you’ll achieve toned muscles more quickly.

With your feet a little wider than your hips, hold a weight in each hand with your palms facing in. Move the dumbbells so they are in front of your shoulders. Lower down into squat position. According to ACE, you should shift your hips backwards and then down “to create a hinge-like movement at your knees.” Try not to let your knees and shinbone go too far forward. As you continue to get lower, your thighs should be parallel or almost parallel to the floor. Your knees should also be directly over your second toe, says ACE. Slowly rise back up to the beginning position.⁷

5. Planking with Dumbbells

an illustrated image of a woman doing planks with dumbbells

We’ve tried to have a little bit of everything in this dumbbell workout, so of course we need a core exercise in here, too. Dumbbells can also be incorporated into your plank routine, but it should be noted that this is a step up from planking alone. That means if you haven’t already been doing planks, you should definitely start without weights and build some core strength before making it more challenging.

If you’ve already been planking, you can enhance that plank by turning it into a “Dumbbell Renegade Row” and adding those free weights. You’ll really boost the fitness factor of this workout. This is a more advanced exercise, so you should work up to this one gradually.

Plank with your hands gripping your dumbbells. According to ACE, your hands should be under your shoulders. They explain that you should start the move with the elbows bent and chest aligned with the dumbbells. Push up into a plank and straighten the arms, then lift one dumbbell to the chest, keeping your elbow in. Your body should stay flat throughout the exercise. Place the weight down to complete the row, then lower down and repeat on the other side.⁸

Adding to Your Full Body Dumbbell Routine

a water bottle and two dumbbells against a gray background

Hopefully, these five easy dumbbell exercises gave you some ideas to start building strength training into your routine. There are many more dumbbell exercise ideas out there and a quick online search will reveal many other ideas so that you can keep your at-home workout varied and interesting. Just be sure that you’re turning to reputable sources like ACE when discovering new exercises.

You always have to be careful that you’re easing into weight workouts and performing them properly so that you don’t get hurt. Performing a dumbbell exercise incorrectly may not only mean you don’t gain the benefits, but it could also lead to an injury. Always start with smaller poundage and work your way up. Soon, you’ll be on your way to being stronger and healthier.

*Always speak with your doctor before starting an exercise routine.

4 Tips for Enhancing Your Treadmill Workout for Weight Loss

Sources:

The post 5 Full Body Dumbbell Exercises for Your At-Home Fitness Routine appeared first on The Leaf.

from The Leaf https://ift.tt/3rGP784

Does anyone have game recommendations for Fitness/Weight Loss?

Original post was autodeleted and I'm not sure why, I'm looking for an app or something to track steps and distance! -Below is my original post:

Hey guys, I'm looking for a way to push myself to move more. Whenever I work from home I like to take walks but I always liked games/apps that reward you for walking. Does anyone have a good app that I can download that incorporates walking into their game? The best example is PokemonGo but between my personal interests and the amount of time you have to spend looking at the screen, it honestly turns me off. I'd love a game or app that tracks in the background and at the end of the day/when I turn it on gives me some sort of feedback or cumulative reward.

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

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

First time trying to lose weight!

I (30F) have always been relatively healthy and in a "healthy" weight range. However, with anxiety, depression and now the never-ending pandemic, I went from 125lbs and long-distance running to 150 and being out of breath walking up the stairs. This weight gain initially happened in 2018 and I just haven't been able to shed it through my normal lifestyle. My health/weight philosophy had always just been "eat well (vegan, mostly plant-based) and exercise somewhat regularly." But now that I've had this extra 25 pounds for 3 years, I'm realizing it's not going away with my current level of efforts.

I've also had elevated blood pressure (130s - 140s over 70s - 80s) for 3 years, so I am feeling the need to really care about this weight loss and get back to 125 for the sake of my long-term heart health.

Personally, I am opposed to counting calories, because it is too time-consuming for me with all the ingredients I use in my meals. I make a ton of meals at home, but I don't follow recipes. I just throw veggies in a pan and wing it to make curries, chilis, stir fries, etc. Counting calories in the fitness tracker apps is something that adds to my stress / anxiety. It has me using my phone too often and not being present; I've tried in the past, and it's not something I personally can do consistently.

1) So....other than counting calories, can you all give a newbie some tips?

2) Also, I would like to know what a realistic time frame would be for me to lose these 25 pounds?

3) Any tips on actually following through with workout plans long-term? I sometimes get in a funk where I am tired or stressed, and then I'll stop working out for a week or two at a time.

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

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/3AWgwq4