No need for an introduction so i will just get right into it.
Things i learned and implemented into my life that helped me lose weight:
1- learning about calories and portion control, it was an eye opener when i realized how calorie dense so many of the foods i consumed were (rice, bread and olive oil in particular) , but also how absurd my portions were, i would 3-4 plates of rice every day and would wonder why I couldn't lose weight, understanding calories and how to portion control are very important and it should be (imo) everyone's first step in losing weight.
2- low calorie beverages, i have cut back on drinking sodas but if you are struggling to cut them out or reduce your soda intake, then try to switch to zero calorie alternatives
3- veggies, i always liked them (but all their weight loss benefits were thrown out the window when i would fry them in a shit ton of oil) but i understand many people dont and unfortunately for you guys veggies are an absolute volume hack, the veggie i liked and didnt find it offensive (or it felt like i was eating air) was spinach, try adding it to every meal you have and slowly introduce more veggies into your diet, i truly believe if you cook them properly veggies can be absolutely delicious.
4- not having junk foods in the house, in this case snacks, of course you can still have snacks (like strawberry, blueberries, rice cakes, apples etc) but i found that snacking in-between my meals were a huge reason for me constantly failing weight loss, so it did take time but eventually i learned to have no snacks in-between my meals and would eat fruits 2 hours before bed.
5- motivation will not last and you will struggle, do not rely on motivation, because although being motivated is important, the moment you face a hurdle that motivation will not last, yes, you will struggle but making a mistake and learning from it is what matters most, motivation comes in waves, but discipline is built on the foundation of your mistakes and ability to learn from them.
6- weigh yourself, i now weigh myself every 3 or 4 days, but at the beginning i would weigh myself daily, but it is soul curshing when you do your best and see that the scale has barely moved, which is what happened most of the time when i was weighing myself once a week, our bodyweight fluctuates throughout the day and i do think weighing yourself daily and reflecting on what you did the day before and how you can improve today can help with losing weight.
7- exercise, walk, run, weight lift, swim, cycle, football, basketball ....etc, find something you enjoy and stick with it, start small and try not to go all out, yes i know you want to give it all you got but this can either have a positive impact or negative impact on your mentality (positive: one day this will just be my warmup, negative: if this is making me exhausted, then how will i ever lose weight?) So it better to start small and improve over time.
8- your mental health is just as, if not more important than your physical health, and i will shortly explain my situation.
(Please do not use what i am about to say to self diagnose yourself) How i maintained my weight:
I kept fluctuating for months and was stuck in the dreaful binging and fasting cycle, eventually i lost the remaining weight by finally implementing weight lifting, but when i reached my GW and liked how i "looked", my mental health did not improve one bit, i felt empty and everyday was a struggle where i was constantly hungry, tired, angry and no matter what i did i just couldnt stay satiated, i would eat a meal and in maybe 15 or 30 minutes i was hungry again, sometimes the hardest part of the day was just getting out of bed.
i never took my mental health seriously but i decided to go to a psychiatrist, and not for these reasons i mentioned, i struggled with focusing and studying, my psychiatrist started asking me more questions about what i struggled throughout the day, and i naturally told him, he diagnosed me with ADHD and prescribed me rubifen (more commonly known as ritalin) and it was a life changer, not only did it improve my focus and helped me drastically improve academically, but it helped with almost all of my struggles surrounding food and dieting in general, i dreaded eating out because i knew that as soon as i get back home i would just start eating again, not any more, it just overall improved my relationship with food which in turn improved my confidence by not being afraid of losing control and my progress.
The point is, i thought losing weight would make me happy, but it really didnt, external solutions wont help with internal problems, go to a therapist or psychiatrist and start seeking professional help, maybe you will realise that losing weight wasnt always the hardest part but actually acknowledging that your mental health and happiness before losing weight is valid.
