Pre-covid I went from 215 to 175, I was extremely happy with that but plateaued around there and wasn't too focused on finishing my journey (GW: ~155-160). Since then I've maintained around 180, and was fine with it, but no gym and not focusing on my intake.
I recently started a new job where I'm very sedentary, travel often, and have generous per diems (allowing basically any meal and quantity I could want). I've realized that I either take control of my health or will rapidly re-gain weight. After binging over the holidays, I committed to gaining control over my body. I wanted to share what I do as the posts here provide me so much motivation:
Eating:
I track my intake with Lose It. I've tracked intermittently over the last few years, but I'm on a ~2 week streak right now and don't see this resolve breaking. I've found that a proper setup in the app contributes to success.
- CICO: In this community, I feel that most have an awareness of this. There are many posts that can be found in search diving deep into the importance. If you're just starting out, know that the only way to lose weight is to be at a calorie deficit
- Set a caloric goal that is achievable: I'd previously set goals that were far too low. I could do it for ~3 days, but once I broke for a day, I'd be off it and would need to restart a month later. Using LoseIt's tools I found a calorie level that I rarely hit (which is motivating), while maintaining health and sustainable loss.
- Understand how you think about your calorie limit: Personally, I hate seeing the dial on LoseIt turn red (when I exceed my set calorie limit). I therefore have my limit set a bit higher than what my actual one is. As a result, I end the days 'under' which motivates me to continue
- Focus on more than just calories: Macros are a rabbit hole that I don't want to go too deep down. However, I track two additional things:
- Protein: I've been pescatarian for almost a year, it's been a journey finding appropriate protein substitutes. Protein's ability to fill me up, combined with starting to exercise and wanting to build muscle has made this my number one priority to ensure I get enough.
- Fiber: I've had some GI scares (ended up just being appendicitis), but it has made me more in-tune with my body's movements. Having solid, easy, poops is something most people probably don't appreciate when they happen. Eating enough fiber facilitates them, therefore I loosely make sure I get enough each day.
- Intermittent Fasting: I've loosened up my fasting regiment, and don't really formally track it, but it helps how I think about food and eating. Previously I wouldn't eat except for noon - 10pm. My schedule complicates this now, but it helps me think twice if that midnight snack, while being within my caloric limit, is worth it
- Track almost everything: When I tracked every single calorie, I'd get exhausted by the tedium of it. I track almost all of my food, but I allow myself certain things to make my life easier and because they don't cause much harm. I figure I miscount ~100 calories daily, but I see this as just built into having a lower limit and keeps away logging-fatigue.
- Examples
- I don't drink soda, but I do drink a lot of sparkling water and an occasional Bodyarmour Lyte. A spindrift is ~10 calories & BA is ~20. I don't bother logging this, it isn't going to change my habit or goals.
- My Preworkout is ~60 calories. If I'm tired before working out I'll have it. If I'm not, I don't. Either way it gets me to the gym so I don't bother logging it.
- When I put balsamic vinegar and oil into my cucumber tomato salad, I measure and log that.
- It's about picking your battles. Ultimately you only cheat yourself.
Weight Loss:
- Set small, achievable goals: Previously, I'd set my single goal as my ultimate goal weight. 20-40 pounds seemed so far off and the perceived lack of progress was discouraging. Now, I'm planning to go 5 lbs at a time. That seems achievable in a month and I see clear progress towards it. My ultimate GW is always in the back of my head, but I feel like each day is actually making meaningful progress.
- Weigh yourself constantly & consistently: Weight fluctuates throughout the day as you're more or less full. Every morning, I wake up, shower, brush teeth, go to the bathroom, and then step on the scale. This, in my opinion does two things:
- Makes checking weight a natural part of my morning routine. It isn't something I fear or forget, it just happens. As soon as I step off the scale, I log it in LoseIt.
- Eliminates as many factors as possible when taking the measurement (as any scientist would want). Your body is as empty as it will be during the day, allowing you an accurate sense of what your weight is
- This also provides the satisfaction of having multiple data points on your weight graph. Infrequent logging makes lots of long straight lines connecting them. Daily logs create a true accurate graphic of your journey.
Exercise:
- "You can't out-exercise a bad diet": This is extremely true. It is so much easier not to eat calories than it is to burn them.
- Learn how to exercise: I'm not an authority here and still don't fully know what I'm doing. There are resources, trainers, and friends who can help you become comfortable in a gym. Find what works for you. The first few times will be awkward and uncomfortable, and I don't think most people at the gym know what to do with every single machine. Being uncomfortable is part of this process.
- You can build muscle while losing weight: I had this notion that I would only do cardio until I hit my goal weight. I did no strength and just did cardio. Maybe that works for some people, but I feel much more satisfied and motivated by incorporating strength training alongside cardio. In just 2 weeks I've noticed muscle and changes to my body. Small ones that only I'd notice, but it drives further motivation to continue going to the gym.
- Go to the gym regularly, even if just for a little bit: I know that once I start allowing myself excuses, it'll start a cycle where I skip more days. This week I felt pretty crappy one day, but still took myself to do some light cardio for 40 minutes. Your body needs to move, let it.
- Get clothes that are comfortable to workout in: I'm not saying go spend hundreds on nice gear. No hobby or life choice should start with that. But get a pair of shorts and 2 lightweight shirts [Or whatever you're comfortable in] to reduce barriers to working out. Personally, I could never workout in jeans and hate doing cardio in any pants - some people love that though. Understand what is comfortable so you can maximize your workout.
- Have something you do every day: I end at the gym with 20 crunches, 20 squats, and 20 pushups. My pushup form is shit, but I see this routine as a constant to track progress. In a month hopefully all of these are easier.
The journey is hard, and then maintenance begins. But the confidence being in your own body, health benefits, external recognition, and (realistically) societal prestige make it worth it.
I've had success in my journey by thinking about the time it takes for habits to form. Its hard to get through the first 3 days, then to get through the first 2 weeks, and then to get through the next month. Setting goals that push you over these hurdles will keep you motivated and lead to long term change
I've started and stopped many times. I hope this post illustrates that weight loss can be nuanced and there are a lot of things to consider, but hopefully you took something away from it or can add your own experience to it.
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