Diet hacks 101

We all know how difficult losing weight is. What’s worked for me is shifting away from relying on willpower to creating an environment that works for and not against me. These hacks have helped me sustain and even enjoy my weight loss journey:

1. Practise mindful eating. I put my spoon down after every bite of food and finish chewing before I go for the next mouthful.

2. Use smaller spoons, forks, bowls and plates. This helps with portion control.

3. Budget calories for the week instead of strictly limiting to 1500 daily. This lends itself to fasting / IF patterns as well. You could do 2k cals one day and 1k the next. Great for days I have big meals out with friends.

4. Try not to snack between meals. But if you do, make sure to keep healthy options around that you don’t really have to spend time preparing, like cherry tomatoes. The idea is to have it as accessible as opening a bag of chips.

5. Identify your “gateway snacks”. These are snacks that always lead you to eating other snacks. Think twice about eating them. Better yet just stop buying them. For me these are biscuits, chocolate and oddly enough, blueberries.

6. Have go to low cal healthy sides or desserts at the end of a meal if you’re not satiated. Want something sweet? Banana with a bit cinnamon powder, microwaved for 20s. Salty? Apple slices with salt and pepper. Crunchy? Seaweed. Creamy? Cottage cheese.

7. If you have a problem with binging, recognise the triggers. For me it would be after lunch, if I am feeling stressed. So instead I’d fix a work call after lunch, shower or go out for a walk to distract myself and get away from food.

8. Brush your teeth or use mouthwash after a meal. Or pop a mint. But some artificial sweeteners may make you bloat so watch out for that. Or have a decaf coffee.

9. Liquid calories can really add up. Swop coke for soda water if what you’re craving is carbonation. For non dairy milk, almond tends to be less calorie dense than oat. Try slowly diluting drinks (coconut water, juices). Get into teas.

10. I try not to go too crazy with my cheat meals, and not make my other meals too bland. Because I don’t want to feel like I’m punishing myself most days and only eating delicious food once a week. So instead of restricted and cheat meals, I think of my meals as regular and special.

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Drastic hair thinning after losing 45 pounds, anyone else have this problem?

Hi everyone, I’ve been reading old reddit posts on here and stuff online about hair loss relating to weight loss and all I’ve found is that it’s usually sudden weight loss that causes it.

It’s taken me 1 year and a month to go from 188 to 143 pounds and I’m female 5’5 and been maintaining at 1300-1500 most days. I’m thinking about eating more so it stops but afraid I’ll gain weight back but I was originally trying to lose 50 but it won’t come off I’m not sure if it’s hormonal or something I made an appointment with the doctor, but I’m stressing so much about this as I wait for my appointment to come up I really wanted to see if anyone else has experienced this and if they have did anything help? Worried because my hair is already thin and it’s starting to have bald gaps

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Feel like giving up during my second plateau this year

I started my most recent weight loss attempt in October, made good progress through January when I hit my first plateau at 40 lbs lost. I just kept logging my meals, exercising 5 days a week, and eventually after 3 months of stagnant weigh-ins, the scale started moving again.

I lost another 20 lbs fairly quickly, but then the scale stopped about a month ago. I kept up my routine for a couple weeks, but I just started to get burned out and discouraged. I started eating junk and stopped exercising about two weeks ago. Somehow I've only gained back 2 lbs over that time, but I need to get back on the wagon.

I think general stress with my job and home life is just weighing on me, because I know that eating junk the last two weeks has only worsened my mood. Guess I just wanted to vent, I know what I need to do.

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People do NOT treat me differently after losing weight

Hi, I'm sorry if this sounds like a rant but I am too embarassed to talk to my friends about this and I have to let it out. A year ago, I decided to turn my life around and start doing it by getting fit. I was 200 lbs before and I came all the way down to 150 (I'm 5'10 btw). Starting out, I was very excited because I read all these stories about formerly overweight people who lost weight and were suddenly treated much better by other people and started getting attention from the opposite sex. Well, it's been almost a year since I lost weight but none of that happened to me. People don't treat me any differently and my dating life is exactly the same as before (nonexistent). I literally never had a single woman show any interest in me (romantic or sexual), not even in the form of flirting or dropping hints, in my entire life. I thought losing weight would change that but it didn't. And I did more than just lose weight, by the way. I dress better now, I improved my social skills, I have a large social circle, lots of female friends, I attend various events etc. I even dealt with most of my insecurities and am much more confident now. And yet... nothing changes. I know being healthy should be the primary motivation for weight loss, but let's admit that a lot of us are also doing this for the social benefits we think we'll get. Let's not kid ourselves and pretend like most of us didn't start this journey with the hope that we would be more desirable to the opposite sex.

Anyway, I would like to hear more stories from people like me, people who were sold the dream that their lives would change forever once they lost weight, only to realize that it's all a lie.

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I’ve gained nearly 50lbs (21kg) in 9 months and I feel ashamed

TW: Mentions about mental illness

Sorry for the long post and venting.

During my last semester of university in the fall 2022, certain events happened which triggered severe anxiety and depression (which I was struggling with previously), so I ended up applying for a leave-of-absence and moved back in with my parents last January. I weighed 123lbs (56kg) which was a normal weight for myself at 5’3” (161cm).

Due to my mental health, I really haven’t left my home all year, only going out for important appointments. My activity has decreased significantly since last year and I have access to food at the time, and I started to eat a lot of delivery food. At home 98% of the time I wear baggy/stretchy clothes, so while I was aware I was gaining weight, I never really noticed just how much weight it was. My grandma is the only one in my family who brought up my weight gain to me.

I’m preparing to finally go back to school next week, and was going through my closet and trying on clothes I used to regularly wear. There is a shirt that I used to look really flattering on me, but I could barely squeeze into it when I tried it on today and struggled to get it off. Next, I tried on a skirt with an elastic band I used to love, and noticed how my stomach was spilling over the band. In disbelief, I ran to weigh myself (which I’ve avoided) and was completely shocked… 170lbs (77kg).

In the span of 9 months, I have gained 47lbs.

I’m still in shock at how much weight I have gained in less than a year and ashamed at myself for not being more aware and trying to do something about it. I compared old photos of myself to one I took today and I wouldn’t even be able to recognize that both pictures are me. Now that I’m going back to school, it sounds silly, but I’m embarrassed that people I knew who see me will talk behind my back and judge me for gaining so much weight. It makes me want to stay inside my apartment.

Weight loss for most people simply comes down to CICO and exercise. I know it’s simple as that, but losing all the weight I’ve gained feels so daunting, I feel like I’m staring up a mountain I have to climb. I began Pilates (3x a week) last month at the encouragement of my parents to start being more active, but I know it wouldn’t help me lose weight, so I’m thinking of incorporating cardio… This is going to be long journey.

TLDR: Went from 123lbs (56kg) to 170lbs (77kg) at 5’3” (161cm) in the span of 9 months; feeling kind of ashamed and not sure where to begin my weight loss journey.

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Seeking health advice

im currently 163 lbs and somewhere in the 5'7 to 5'9 range, female. i gained weight pretty rapidly due to not having access to a kitchen for 8 months, resulting in eating way too much fast food. i hate the way i look and feel but i have no idea how to eat healthier and to lose some of this weight. ive been looking up everything i eat to see if its healthy and it feels like almost everything is bad for me in some way except for vegetables. if anyone has any tips for weight loss and healthy eating, it would be super appreciated !

also, i have severe chronic pain which has contributed to my unhealthy habits. it can be really painful to cook and work out.

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F*ck self acceptance, I’m doing whatever it takes now !

104kgs , I’m on antidepressants they never made me feel better , they just shut down emotions both good and bad . I used to weight 67kgs a few years ago and I remember how I felt , I felt amazing energetic talkative with high self esteem . Now I’m just a fat ass piece of shit .

I’ve reached my point and I’ve had enough of the self acceptance bullshit , I’m doing whatever it takes to get my happiness and physics back , I don’t care if I use steroids or weight loss meds or injections, I won’t let anything come my way of happiness, diet + exercise ofc ! I’ve been brain washed for years now and I just woke up from my coma . Journey starts today

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