"Oh what, you've convinced yourself you're fat, so now you're not eating?"

Something my friend said to me a couple of days ago has been really bugging me. I wonder if anyone else has experienced someone saying something similar to them.

Basically, almost all of my friends and family are overweight/obese. Some of them are happy the size they are, and are big proponents of the whole body positivity thing: you need to love yourself and be happy with your body no matter what size you are; there's no problem with being big unless you've got health issues... etc.

Which is all well and good, but these people seem to take a negative attitude when anyone mentions wanting to lose weight or eat healthy, even if the person is doing so for very personal reasons.

I'm a little overweight, but not by much. I'm actually one of the smallest in my friend group - but I am overweight. I'm just not obese.

Since the new year, I have been trying to eat healthy: lots of vegetables, no snacking or desserts, no calorific drinks, limiting calorie-dense and processed foods, sensible portion sizes. I have also been walking more.

I haven't been tracking calories, but I have lost almost 10 pounds over the past month so I must be doing something right.

Anyway, a few days ago I went out for a meal with my husband and two of our friends (a couple, both of whom are obese).

Normally I would eat a starter, a main course, a side dish and a dessert all to myself, and probably have a calorific drink too (like a cocktail or juice). But I'm trying to make better choices nowadays.

As we were looking over the menu, my friend asked what I was going to have, and I replied something like "Hmm, I'm not sure. I probably shouldn't order too much though"

And then he said what's in the title. "Oh, what, you've convinced yourself you're fat, so now you're not going to eat?"

I mean... the way he said it, with a sarcastic/condescending tone of voice, made it sound like I had an eating disorder or something. Like I was actually super skinny but was deluded into thinking I'm overweight. When in reality... I AM overweight, by every metric possible: waist measurement, BMI, body fat percentage and clothes size.

He's just a lot bigger than I am. So I guess... either he genuinely thinks that I'm not overweight because he's comparing me to him, or, he knows I'm overweight but is trying to downplay it because he doesn't want me to lose weight and get even smaller than him?

I just tried to change the subject and said something vague about trying to eat healthy and it not being about weight loss (which is a lie, but I didn't want to talk about it).

It's just been playing on my mind since then, though.

Anyone experienced something similar? How did you respond?

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Scale recommendations and when to weigh myself?

Hello reddit!

I just wanted to ask about scales, if any of you have a particularly good experience with one, please let me know. I live in Europe, so I would really appreciate it if you could direct me to the best scale available on amazon. Mine is driving me crazy, it gives me like 4 or 5 different readings every morning, and now I don´t even know if I´ve been tracking my weight loss correctly because of this plus it affects my mood and my motivation.

Also, would you recommend daily or weekly weigh ins? I have been weighing myself daily but I think this is mainly because I am inpatient and I want to see the results like right now. But maybe doing it weekly might result in less obsession with the number on the scale and also a feeling of more progress, as the number will be lower than with daily weigh ins.

Thank you very much for reading. 😊

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Slow weight loss due to weight lifting?

I began my weight loss journey around 2 months ago and I've lost 20 pounds so far, with another 70 to go. I've noticed that the scale won't budge for days maybe weeks at a time. I watch what I eat and make sure to get atleast a 500 calorie deficit each day (burn around 500 in the gym too). I do weight training atleast 5 days a week, alternating between muscle groups. Could the stagnancy be due to muscles developing or am I doing something wrong? I make sure to get atleast 100gms protein each day.

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Maintenance Monday: January 31, 2022

Maintenance Monday: January 31, 2022

If you've reached your goal weight and you're looking for a space to discuss with fellow maintainers, this is the thread for you! Whether you're brand new to maintenance or you've been doing it for years, you're welcome to use this space to chat about anything and everything related to the experience of maintaining your weight loss.

(I may or may not post a prompt. If there's a specific topic you'd like to see covered in a future thread, please drop a comment or message.)

---

Today’s topic: Last Monday of the month, so let’s assess how January went and share our plans for February. Habits, goals, plans - weight gain maintenance related, or anything else!

Sorry for the late post, everyone!

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is chipotle good for weight loss?

Hi,

I’m aiming for hitting around 1400-1800 calories a day and i’ve been using chipotle for the last week to maintain my caloric deficit. Whenever I go, I always make sure to avoid any fatty toppings like queso, cheese, sour cream, toritillas etc. I usually just get a bowl or salad with double chicken and guac, with a lot of vegetables. it’s been a tasty meal that’s given me a lot of protien, but is it necessarily good for a caloric deficit and good for my health? i’m not sure how processed the food is at chipotle, but i’m just trying to make sure i’m on the right trac and looking for advice.

thanks!

TLDR: 17M 210, trying to lose weight and using chipotle salads as a staple meal for protien and weight loss(no rice or fatty toppings).

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Extreme weight loss from long covid. Not sure how to feel about it

I'm 27 and male. I got covid in January 2021 when I weighed 236 pounds at 5'11". I was trying to lose weight at the time, I hated myself and I was even considering bariatric surgery because I felt so hopeless, my weight has been fluctuating all my life and I had a bad relationship with food (binge eating).

Then the universe gave me exactly what I wanted in the most horrible way. I had a moderately severe case of covid which led to long covid with parosmia (everything tastes like death) and even 12 months later, I still can't eat properly. I'm down to 132 pounds and it is not a healthy weight for me. However I am still very happy with my weight loss and almost afraid of my taste coming back, so it's a tough position to be in. At first I basically starved myself for a few months because I thought I may as well make the most of this problem and lose weight, but now I think doing that made it harder for my body to recover. I'm not sure if my taste will ever come back.

I much prefer how I look now and I can do things I wasn't able to when I was obese, but it is also hell. I no longer enjoy or have any interest in food and it is oddly soul destroying because I can REMEMBER what these foods taste like but I can't access it. Sometimes I get so angry and upset because I just want to eat something.

I can't describe the taste but everything is like...sour/rotten/sewage. It is the worst thing I've ever tasted. Some things are less rotten than others, but almost everything has that taste. Even water sometimes. Smells too and even kissing..I can barely even enjoy the fact that I'm good looking now because making out makes me want to throw up

I live on meal replacement shakes but I don't drink enough of them. They make me gag. When I feel sick from hunger (rarely now because my stomach has shrunk or something) I just drink tea or water.

My hair is falling out and I've grown weird fluffy hair on some parts of my body. Despite this I still can't bring myself to eat more. I don't hate how I look now, I think I look good aside from the loose skin and hair issues.

But is it worth it? I don't know. Not really sure why I made this post but yeah if you have any advice that would be great

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Stick with it - A tale of highs, lows, and encouragement

The origins
I was overweight since puberty and obese since 2018. My parents are both overweight and also didn't cook, battling their own depression issues. I'm in my late 20s female 5'2 and no longer have an excuse for unhealthy eating now that I'm living on my own and can afford groceries reasonably.

January 2020 - 200 Pounds - The spark to change
On January 1, 2020 I weighed 200 pounds. I went to the ER in late 2019 for something that turned out to be harmless. I followed up with a primary care doctor, and I could 100% tell that my weight impacted her treatment plan. She barely checked me out and the entire visit revolved around exercise tips. That is in no way what I needed. Both for my health and for fear that if I needed medical attention in the future I would receive subpar care, I embarked on a weight loss journey.

First Attempts in 2020: 200 -> 180
I lost 20 pounds to get to 180 relatively quickly by cutting out some of the junk food and focusing on eating healthier overall. I introduced more veggies and I did CICO maybe a few times a week, but not consistently. The pandemic hit and only motivated me more, but I just wasn't losing the weight. I plateaued in April - August after that initial 20lb drop and got frustrated, deciding to put my weight loss journey on hold. It was my own fault for not being consistent in my calorie counting.

Short ladies section: Counting is a necessity for everyone, but particularly true for short women where 200 calories more than the safe min of 1200 can actually mean you gain weight. People don't realize how little food 1200 cal can be without volume eating and I didn't know any of that yet. That burger and fries can be double your daily allotment, whereas other dieters fit that in as a once a month indulgence. It just isn't possible for you. That doesn't mean you can't indulge but you have to make it even less frequent and make the more weekly indulgences fit within the low calorie limits. Take in all of the advice but then ask--will this work for my body and my lifestyle in particular?

2021 - 180 -> 155 Pounds (and then back up to 165)- Doing it for real this time
After all my research I threw myself back into weight loss efforts. In 2021 I lost another 25 pounds and got to 155. This time I did CICO every single day and stuck to it. I exercised 2-5 times a week. I was doing amazingly until I decided to switch jobs and move towards the end of the year. That lead to 6AM - 11:30 PM workdays every single day for a month and packing constantly. For weeks I ate whatever I wanted. I did no calorie counting and had takeout multiple times a week. I gained 10 pounds--not the end of the world, but I do regret my approach. I'd probably be a healthy weight by now if I had stuck with it. I made a plan for future stressful times.

HOME STRETCH NOW! (starting October 2021)
I moved a few months ago. I work at max 8 hours a day now, which makes my usually stoic self sob with joy sometimes. My life is my own now, and I no longer work around the clock with meager salary to show for it. With that major life improvement, I restarted my diet and fitness journey. I am no longer eating 1200 cal every single day because that takes a toll, but I eat that 4-5 times a week. I do look forward to bumping that up, but given I'm so used to volume eating I imagine I'll still eat 1200 cal 1-2 times a week in the future with no special efforts. I'm down to 145 pounds today, almost out of the overweight category, and I can't even believe it. After reaching normal BMI I am going to switch to trying to lose 1 pound a week rather than 2 until about 120 lbs and I look forward to this more moderate pace.

Lessons learned so far:
There are days when I can't tell a difference when I look in the mirror. There are days where I say hmm, I think my face slimmed down a bit. I think my arm looks a little more toned. Nobody has noticed or said anything and some days I hate how I look. But overall, I feel *mentally* better about how I look. Here is why:

1. I know I'm making gains in my health. The science doesn't lie.
2. EVERYONE has aspects about their body they dislike. Almost every single human. People will love their haircut one moment and hate it the next, so it's not unique to us on this weight loss journey. Yesterday at 12PM I saw my flabby arms and thought "god, I regret ruining my body like this. I have stretch marks literally everywhere." A mere 3 hours later I was standing at the same position in front of the mirror in a different top and said damn, I've absolutely lost fat here, here, and here. It was a more revealing top. I can actually see the definition in my muscles now. It made me smile, same exact lighting and a difference of a mere 3 hours. And then I was on a video chat with super pretty girl and felt like garbage again. Usually I'm much more mellow and this happened to be a day of ups and downs, but it demonstrates how random it can be. Focus on your health. That's really what matters.
3. No, I don't feel better. When I tell people about my weight loss, that's what they ask ---"Oh, that's amazing progress, do you feel better now?" I want to say "No you f**** a******, I felt good when I was eating Pizza. I felt good when I ate unhealthily. That is why I did so. Do not expect that you will magically feel better because that is not everyone's experience. However, I do feel good! You need to get past the sugar cravings. If you have a sweet tooth that is half the battle. Give it 3-5 days without sugar and you're past the worst. I also know I'll do the crazy unhealthy eating days I loved again in a strict and controlled way. It's not a "never" thing, but I'm only going to do so 1-2 times a year max. Every time I want that cheeseburger I know I can truthfully say "another time" instead of no, never in your life can you half this half a pizza and then ice cream. Now it's "save it for your birthday" and I focus on the health and $$$ benefits that come from preparing my own food. Half the time I don't even want the treats I promised myself on X day.
4. You are your own worst critic. If you are healthily losing weight, there is a difference, even if you don't notice it. If you are not yet at a healthy weight you should continue to lose weight, but it doesn't mean you're ugly! I am 100000 percent positive. You are beautiful even with the extra 20-30 pounds. How do I know? I looked at the progress pics for everyone else! I see girls above a normal weight that I genuinely think are gorgeous and guys that I think are hot. I can always see the difference in the pics, even if it's subtle. You aren't the only person in the world whose body is not changing. Get over yourself ;P Just keep on on keeping on. I didn't always know better or was in a position to control my weight, but I am now. I try not to beat myself up for the past. We only get one life and I don't want to spend it in regret. I want to build the best life for myself as possible.
5. I've lost 55 pounds and am still in the exact same clothes sizes... stuff fits looser, but I haven't needed a new wardrobe at all. I'm really hoping for this "paper towel theory" to happen but know that even if I don't achieve the image I have in my head, I look fine (for note #4 reason above). I'll note that I started lifting weights, but it's under 20 pounds and I doubt has had a large impact.
   

Life is good now so it's been easier to eat well. For the stressful times? I've been there, and know what happened. I resolved to do better. I had a truly dismal weekend in Jan but it went great eating wise. The plan:

1. Bump up calories to the max maintenance you can. This is "do what you can" mode. Try at least a few times a week to eat below the maintenance. If I can "only" eat at maintenance, that's perfectly OK. When I say maintenance I mean goal weight maintenance. Don't go eating 2000 cal if that's your hundreds of cals above what will be your end point maintenance.
2. If I have $$$$---takeout salads all week. Careful with the dressing and bread.
3. If I don't have $ or haven't hit recent saving goals ---give myself a timer. Cook as much as I can for one hour on Sun and no more than one hour. Clean for 10 min after. Reheat during the week. Listen to music or podcasts, or watch a tv show on our phone in background if you dislike cooking (Which I sure do).
4. If I'm unable to complete steps 2 or 3, grab from a pantry to do something easy that is within calorie allowance. Eat a whole cauliflower pizza(check the cals--you can eat the whole thing if you OMAD!). Dump out an entire can of chilli and entire bag of frozen veggies. Have an egg with beans and siracha.
   

I know it's a bit premature to be taking this victory lap because I have ~10 pounds to go until I'm in normal BMI zone, but I'm proud of myself. I've had zero cheat days since October 2021 to now, and rarely have that ravenous desire to cheat anymore. (remember, you can still take the crazy day 1-2 times a year!) I was able to lose a lot of weight, and I trust the science to know that makes me healthier, even though I truthfully feel the same. I read labels now for goodness sake. If I can do it, you sure as hell can. I knew nothing about what healthy food was until 2020. Anyone can do it. Gogogo!

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