Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Finally managing healthy weight loss by changing my mindset

F 5"7 CW: 188 GW: 150

I have been on and off diets for the last 10 years and never ever happy with my weight. I'd cut down to 1200 cals (TDEE is 1600 for losing), then binge, then go back to eating everything thinking I don't deserve to lose weight and I'm a failure.

I don't know what triggered it, but one day this year I just thought "what the hell am I doing to myself?" I did some digging and realised that I had attached my weight loss to my own value and self worth. So I started telling myself how much I love myself every single day, little affirmations to remind myself that I am worthy of love and happiness no matter what size I am.

I wrote down new reasons to get fit, fix my food relationship and lose weight: - Manage my asthma symptoms - Manage my endo symptoms - Climb the stairs without being breathless - Stop relying on food as a stress reliever - Reduce joint pains, especially knees - More energy to spend time on hobbies - Improve general health and longevity of life - Find my way back into yoga and pilates, hobbies that I stopped during covid and now am too unfit to practice well

I've lost 5lbs in the last 2 weeks since I started adopting a new mindset, I no longer look in the mirror and think of myself a failure; I see someone determined to get their health back and say F you to a life controlled by food!

I think a lot of us use self worth as a factor when losing weight, and I hope you all know you are wonderful, brilliant, unique human beings no matter what part of the journey you are on ❤️

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Not losing, frustrated.

I’ve been losing and gaining the same 6 lbs for a month. I’m overweight enough this should not be happening. I use CICO and light exercise and track very carefully. I’m 5’8” and 250-256 for 5 weeks, I stay in a calorie deficit between 1600-2100 depending on the day. But am mostly consistent between 1700-1850 on days where I’m not working out. Even with less weight loss, I do take my measurements once a month, and lost a few inches.

I have had a lot of stress and med changes, including a new birth control implant placed. I know logically, it’s probably that. It’s just very, very frustrating. I feel defeated. Any insight or words of wisdom appreciated.

I’ve tried drinking more water, less water, increased potassium, I also take magnesium and glucosamine.

I have had a lot of stress and med changes, including a new birth control implant placed. I know logically, it’s probably that. It’s just very, very frustrating. I feel defeated. Any insight or words of wisdom appreciated. I’m super bloated and just not feeling well.

I’ve tried drinking more water, less water, increased potassium, I also take magnesium and glucosamine. Any ideas on how to break this cycle?

I think I need to eat more protein, too, but we are on a very lean budget. We don’t typically buy meat, but we buy eggs, tofu, tuna. Any other ideas? I’ll also have things like low sugar yogurt or skin mozzarella cheese sticks.

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Tuesday, February 21, 2023

1 year ago I started counting calories

5'3 | SW 192 | CW 150 | GW 117

All my life pre- 2019 I thought I was just "naturally thin". Major undiagnosed health problems that resulted in me being extremely sedentary and stress eating candy and ice cream sandwiches like nobody's business cured me of that misconception, but I honestly didn't put together the cause for ages. I always figured that if you didn't have "thin genes" you had to eat absurdly healthy food 24/7 and exercise a bunch to lose weight, and with my mom being an overweight, physically active vegan even that seemed like it wouldn't work for me. Finally on February 21, 2022 I downloaded the LoseIt app, came over to this subreddit to check out some weight loss tips, and the rest is history.

I feel so much better, both physically due to the weight loss but also mentally just knowing that I'm not actually helpless when it comes to my weight- if I don't like where I'm at, I can just.. change my habits! Wild, right? 🤣

My friends are a lil HAES/fatlogic-y so my post in the group chat celebrating my first anniversary is being steadfastly ignored (not that I really expected anything better), so I wanted to come over here to share my excitement instead 🥳

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For those of you who have lost weight and kept it off…

What is it that someone could’ve said to you (or did say to you) to set you on the right path to making the lifestyle changes needed to be successful? Or more simply put, to take the first step on your weight loss journey?

Some background…

My doctor told me I won’t be able to lose a good amount of weight unless I cut carbs and sweets significantly. Of course this seems like an obvious thing, but I’m having trouble bringing myself mentally to commit to these changes. We’re talking Keto level carb intake which would be a monumental change for me.

I’ve tried and failed at least 15 times in my adulthood to get in shape. Now in my latter thirties, I’m teetering on the verge of acceptance that I will always be overweight.

Any input or advice is appreciated!

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A Mind Change

You know your mind is changing around weight loss and health when you have this type of a conversation:

Me: I’m just relaxing today. Mom: Oh that’s good. How’s your weight? Me: Good. I’m down another 2.5 pounds. Mom: Oh good. You know you could workout 3 times a day in the summer to really shred that weight and get yourself a husband. Me: Sure…are you going to help me with that? Mom: Oh no I already did that when we lived in Maryland in 2006.

I’m happy with my progress. In 2 months I’m down a shirt and pants size. Slow and steady really does win the race.

Oh and the husband. He’s on his way. He just stopped to get me some Cinnamon Bears, buy me a cabin in Alaska, fight off some bad guys, buy me some props from the set of The 100, and plan a trip to Disneyland!

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Are You an Early Bird or a Night Owl? What the Research Says

Do you find yourself still full of energy even as the clock nears a “bedtime hour?” Or, conversely, are you tired at night but wake up ready-to-go in the morning? While many do consider themselves “in between,” or find that it changes at different points in their lives, a lot of people tend to identify as being either more of an “early bird” or more of a “night owl.” And the fact is, there’s more to it than just personal preference. There is actual science behind why some people feel their best in the morning—and some at night.

Here’s what research says about early birds versus night owls:

It’s in Your Genes

genes

Like so many factors related to the way our bodies operate, the answer just may be written in our DNA. A study of nearly 90,000 people who had their genomes sequenced was able to identify 15 specific loci that were significantly associated with being a morning person. According to the National Human Genome Research Institute, loci tell us the location of a specific gene on a chromosome. These study findings, published in Nature Communications, joins a growing body of research looking to understand how our body clocks work. They point to the fact that we just may be hard-wired to perform our best at a certain time of day—making it a difficult thing to change.

5 Ways Sleep Deprivation is Affecting Your Weight

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Can I Become an Early Bird?

early bird

Even though research seems to point toward humans being genetically programmed to have certain periods of “peak alertness,” there are still plenty of people who would like to change their body’s natural timing. Most commonly, the preference is to become an early bird—largely because of life demands such as work, school and children. In other words, just because you’re not hard-wired to be a morning person, doesn’t mean you can start rolling into work late or failing to get your kids ready for school. Many of our life commitments and demands start in the morning—whether we’re feeling ready or not. For this reason, many people look to try and alter their “body’s clock.”

While you certainly cannot change your DNA, there are things that you can do to help get a better night sleep so that you can wake up feeling more energized. For instance, some experts recommend eliminating blue light before bed, which is emitted from electronic devices like your laptop, phone or tablet. According Harvard Health Publishing, multiple studies have shown that exposure to blue light can suppress melatonin and impact the circadian rhythm.

Though it’s challenging, this means that you should avoid watching TV or looking at your phone or computer for up to two to three hours before going to sleep. Adhering to a regular sleep schedule can also make a big difference, says Healthline.

Can’t sleep? Click the link below for five reasons why:

5 Reasons You Can’t Fall Asleep at Night

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Use Your Natural Tendencies to Maximize Workouts

early bird

Being aware of whether you are an early bird or a night owl might also help you to get the most out of your workouts. Plan to perform your exercise when you are at your period of peak alertness. If you are an early bird, get your exercise finished first thing in the morning whenever you can. You’ll have tons of energy and will likely push yourself harder. If you’re more of a night owl, try to fit in a stop at the gym on the way home from work or go for a run in the evening hours. Again, working with your body’s natural clock may help you perform your best and really maximize that workout in order to burn the most possible calories. On the Nutrisystem program, we recommend 30 minutes of exercise per day.

Listen to your Body

man sleeping

In general, just paying closer attention to your body’s signs will help you make better choices and lead an overall healthier life. If your body is telling you “I’m tired,” you might be pushing yourself too hard or trying to pull from energy that you just don’t have. Pay closer attention to what your body is telling you and make the most out of the time where you’re feeling your best.

How to Get More Sleep & Completely Change Your Life Tonight

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The post Are You an Early Bird or a Night Owl? What the Research Says appeared first on The Leaf.



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8 Tips to Burn More Calories by Walking

Walking is seriously underrated in terms of its benefits as an exercise. Oftentimes we feel as though we must get drenched in sweat to burn calories. In reality, walking really can do wonders to help boost your burn! Don’t get us wrong; cycling, running and all of those intense cardio activities are wonderful. But maybe you don’t always have time to hit the gym or go for a full-blown run.

Sometimes, fitting in a couple of walks can feel a lot more doable.

Fortunately, research supports the benefits of walking. A study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that those who stuck with a walking program had significant improvements in blood pressure, reduction of body fat and body weight and overall better quality of life.

To help you burn more calories, we’ve rounded up eight easy tips for your walking workout.

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1. Walk on an incline, a hill or stairs.

Legs of a woman walking up the stairs to burn more calories

Going up? Walking on a treadmill that is tilted at an incline, walking up a hill outside or even walking on stairs can all increase the intensity of your workout. This means you’ll burn more calories than walking on level ground. It may also be better for your health. One study, published in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, has shown that uphill walking can help your body metabolize both glucose and lipids, which means it might be beneficial for “the prevention of type 2 diabetes and disorders in lipid metabolism.”

2. Use an activity tracker or step counter to stay motivated.

Older man and woman in a park setting their activity trackers while walking to burn more calories

Wearing a watch or a device that provides activity tracking capabilities and/or step counting can help motivate you to walk longer or faster. Without any sense of how far you’ve walked or how many calories you’ve burned, it can be easy to “quit early.” But if you see that you’re just a few tenths away from the next mile—or that you’re incredibly close to meeting your daily step goal—it can push you to go a little bit longer. That kind of motivation can pay off in terms of your results.

3. Listen to tunes.

man listening to music while walking

Did you know that music can have an impact on your weight loss goals? A study, published in the journal Psychology of Sport and Exercise, found that listening to music led to a 28 percent increase in activity enjoyment. That can equate to walking for longer—and burning more calories. People also commonly report that music helps them increase the speed and intensity of their work. It puts a little zip in your step!

6 Easy Habits That Can Increase Your Metabolism

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4. Walk with a pal.

man and woman walking in the woods to burn more calories

While music can motivate the solo walker, having a friend to talk to can also be motivating. Research carried out by Virgin Active Health Clubs found that exercising with a friend can burn more calories than working out alone. The reason may be that chatting with a good pal is distracting and helps you go further. When friends walk together, they also pace one another. You might be motivated to walk faster than you would alone.

5. Make sure you have the right shoes.

Woman mid-step on the street, with view of her shoe sole.

A good pair of walking shoes really can make all the difference in the world when it comes to inspiration to go further. If you’ve ever walked a long distance in unsupportive shoes, then you know how much your feet started to hurt. But when you have footwear that is comfortable and provides good shock absorption, you can walk longer and faster—and torch more calories as a result.

6. Move your arms as you walk—and pick up the pace.

man and woman walking on a treadmill to burn more calories

Adding arm movement during your walk can help you to go faster. It can turn a regular walk into a power walk—and that can help increase your burn. Research, published in Nature Medicine, found that the intensity of an activity can be more important than its duration. In other words, a shorter power walk can be more calorie-smashing than a long and leisurely stroll.

Hike Your Way to Weight Loss: 10 Reasons to Go for a Hike Today

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7. Take a hike!

Woman and dog hiking in the woods

Instead of walking around your neighborhood or town, why not drive to a local trail and take a hike? Hiking on uneven ground and different terrains can activate different muscles than you’re used to using on flat surfaces. You’ll be strengthening muscles in the knees, hips and ankles—areas that don’t usually get much use. The changes in terrain typically mean more calories burned, too.

8. Incorporate interval training into your walking program.

Woman power walking on the street to burn more calories

If you’ve ever participated in an interval run, then you know it incorporates short bursts of sprinting into your jog. You can do the same thing walking by increasing the intensity to a power walk at each interval. The idea is to keep the interval short enough that you won’t get completely exhausted and can keep going. This can help you burn more calories while walking.

Pair your walking workout with a convenient meal delivery service! Get started with Nutrisystem today >

30-20-10 Interval Training: It’s for Everyone

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