Sunday, January 7, 2024

Post partum weight loss struggles

okay to preface: long story short, prior to pregnancy I had just lost 30lbs. Always struggled with binge eating but with therapy + Vyvanse I was able to stop binge eating. And I've been heavily into the fitness scene for years, and I'm completely knowledgeable about calories, working out, etc so I don't need any suggestions on that area.

I went from 145-240 (95lbs) and lost 40 of it in the first month. I've been actively trying to lose the rest of it since September, the first month of being back to it I lost another 10lbs(190lbs). But I haven't been able to break that since October.

Oh btw im not nursing since 6 weeks pp. I'm currently 5months PP, at 190lbs. I am obviously incredibly more active compared to before due to being busy with a baby so I move more than I did before pregnancy but I cannot for the life of me lose any more weight. I'm on Vyvanse and I don't normally eat a ton, and even if I don't go to the gym I am burning much more just surviving than I'm eating. I stopped being a vegetarian, in hopes of the protein helping my hormones balance but it's been months and no change.

Im going for my mommy make over in August and I need to lose at least another 30lbs for it. My BMI is 30 and considered obese, though I don't agree with this method of determining much, it is the way many surgeons determine eligibility.

I'm asking my doctor to test my hormones but I don't have my appointment till Feb 15.

Things in doing: -focusing on protein intake -weight lifting x3-5 weekly -10-30mins cardio attached to my workouts -constantly on my feet with LO

help me.

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Saturday, January 6, 2024

the road so far (i'm miserable) (vent/seeking advice)

tw: mentions of disordered eating

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I've been going through it so hard recently, and I'm here seeking any advice you can give.

Things have been hard.

Little backstory: I've gone down from my highest of about 170-80 during around my freshman year of high school to about 120 now, as a senior. I'm 5'3, and with the way my body holds fat, I'd like to lose about five to ten more pounds. This entire journey has hardly been a straight shot. I binged a lot, and it's a habit that I am still working on mending that has made me very sad for a long time.

A little under two weeks ago, I weighed in at the lightest I've been in so long -- 115! -- and it was exhilarating. The only reason I'd been able to get down that low, though, is through restricting a lot more than what's considered healthy. And that's bad, I know, and entirely unsustainable, but it was addicting for the short while I was able to maintain it. I felt so accomplished, which is stupid because I've now been binging and overeating more so bad. And I'm miserable. I'm afraid of the scale, and I feel as though I've gained noticeable weight. Last night, I weighed in at 122 which was after I'd eaten, which isn't a terrible increase, but it's so, so disheartening to see that after being able to reach 115. I think I probably have gained at least a pound of fat back, and I feel like it's so clear and noticeable. I feel like my stomach isn't as flat as it was and like my cheeks are puffy, and that sucks majorly when all I want is to be slim.

I know I sound stupid, and whiny, and so stereotypically teenage, but this has all been taking a severe toll on my mental health. This past week or so, my life has just been trying to restrict, getting so sad when I fail miserably, and then so much binging. When I have days of clarity where I try not to restrict myself so much, I... still binge? It just feels like if I don't heavily restrict, I'll end up gaining way too much from never ending sessions of overeating. I've tried to employ helpful tactics, though, and I think that my binges have gotten less bad. I've tried to forgive myself, not be mean to myself when I give in, distract myself with other activities, neutralize food, etc... I know I have to fuel myself with nutritious food and mend my tendency to leaning on junk for comfort, but it's so hard not to eat emotionally when I'm this damn emotionally damaged. I've been so genuinely depressed as of late and I hate it. I've started missing out on fun activities with friends because I just don't want to be seen or be around anyone.

I know some people will suggest therapy. I have my first meeting with some psychiatrist or something that my mom set up on Tuesday, and I'm going to speak with her and see if she can help or refer me to someone. So that's good! I know that getting my mental issues under control could then help repair my relationship with food and my body.

The advice I think I'm asking for here is... how can I start living a life where I eat... regularly? It's so hard to exist within a life where it feels like my only two options are restrict too much or eat too much. Like, once I start the day with it in mind that I'm not going to overdo my restriction, it's like my stomach becomes a bottomless pit and I just want to keep on eating. I know that I ultimately just need to apply more self control, but it's still something I struggle a lot with. Eating breakfast, I feel, makes me binge later in the day, though that might just be because a 1200 calorie limit's still sort of low. But my TDEE's like 1550? So I feel like I have to go pretty low.

Also, I genuinely cannot discern whether or not counting calories helps me or harms me. Because when I try not to count, I freak out not knowing my exact intake, but when I do count, I find myself viewing food simply as their calorie counts and then my meals feel unsatisfying, if that makes sense. This is probably something I just have to figure out myself. All of this is not helped by the fact that I'm practically sedentary. I just sit around all day thinking and stressing about food and feeling so, so miserable about the state of my body. I don't know how to eat "normally." I don't know how that works. I had a plan for myself set where I can skip breakfast 'cause I'm usually not hungry for it anyways, then have a big lunch and a big dinner. Is that something still worth sticking to? I find that since I don't move much I don't really get the right hunger cues, and it feels like I'm never actually hungry, so I don't know when I should be eating. And I feel guilty over snacking, too, even if it fits in my deficit because I feel like I'm never actually hungry when I go to eat them. I think increasing my activity level would help fix like half the problems I have, maybe.

I know I wrote a lot here and I hope some of you took the time to at least skim. Any advice about anything I've talked about here would be stellar. I'd also appreciate if people discussed what a full day of eating for sustainable weight loss looks like for them. Or you could suggest recipes (I am a vegan!) or beginner workouts, or ways to overcome food guilt, or ways to be at peace with my body, or anything! I think I really just need support right now. I feel very alone and very sad. :(

I know all this is so stupid to be this worked up over, and that I could have worse problems than not liking my pudgy stomach, but my brain has a way of amplifying things and I've never been this unhappy and this afraid of gaining weight. I want to get to a point where I am losing weight healthily, not feeling shame, not hating myself. I want to be able to go to college in the fall feeling happy and secure. I know this stuff is mainly stuff meant for a therapist to deal with (hopefully I'll have one soon!) but I've seen people giving pretty good tips on this sub before and I'm desperate.

Thank you party people!!!

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Anyone have a connection between weight loss and cleaning/organizing their home?

Hi Everyone,

Like the title suggests, I find that when I'm ready to lose weight, I'm also very motivated to clean/organize my house. I'm not a bad house keeper and have routine of cleaning on Sundays. However, when I get serious about weight loss and I'm ready to commit to the behavioral changes....I find that I'm ready to tackle the bigger cleaning projects. I'm talking about cleaning out closets, getting rid of old items, organizing. I find that I start to take on the bigger projects like taking down all your light fixtures and dusting/ cleaning, scrubbing baseboards, washing blinds. Anyone else have a similar experience?

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Friday, January 5, 2024

7 Science-Backed Ways to Make Your New Year Habits Stick

A healthy lifestyle is built from healthy habits. Instead of motivating yourself each time you want to exercise, eat healthy portions, get adequate sleep or meditate, these behaviors become automatic … the same way putting on your seat belt is automatic when you get in a car, or grabbing your phone to scroll is automatic when you feel a little bored.

But building those habits takes time. You may have heard that a new habit takes 21 days to form, but it can take much longer. In a 2009 study, scientists found that new habits took an average of 66 days to take hold. For some participants, habits took up to 254 days—most of a year—to stick.

So give yourself time, and help yourself along with these seven research-backed ways to reinforce your new year habits.

1. Make your new year habit specific and bite-sized.

woman walking

In a study, researchers found that smaller goals work better. One group of children were assigned to try to do six pages of math problems in each of seven study sessions. Another group was just told to try to finish all 42 pages by the end of the seventh session. The group that broke things down into six at a time were much more successful.

You’re not a kid learning math, but this works for you, too. Instead of setting a goal that “I’m going to exercise more,” or even “I’m going to exercise five times per week,” make it specific and smaller. Try setting a goal like “I’ll work out for 15 minutes every weekday,” or “I’ll walk for 20 minutes every day.”

Too big? Go even smaller: Set a goal to walk for just five minutes per day to start, so the habit is easy to stick to.

2. Set a time for your new habit.

Research has shown that goals are more likely to be achieved when they’re tied to a situation. You’re more likely to perform behavior Y if you do it when situation X arises, versus just saying, “I’m trying to do more Y.”

One way to create a “situation X” for your habit is to set a time for it: Just like you brush your teeth when you wake up, tie your new habit to a specific time or event during your day. Building on the walking habit from above, aim not just to go for a five-minute walk every day—go for that walk after lunch, or before breakfast, right when you get home from work, or at another time that works for your schedule.

3. Associate your habit with fun.

Dance rhythms for a better workout

You don’t need a scientific study to tell you that you’re more likely to do things that you enjoy, but here’s one anyway: Scientists have found that when a workout is fun, people are more likely to do it. And when a class has music, students are more motivated to learn.

Tie your new, healthy habit to something you enjoy. Go to a fun exercise or dance class if you don’t like traditional gym workouts. Or don’t just go for a post-lunch walk: listen to a new true crime podcast you really love while you do it!

4. Partner up!

Don’t go it alone! One study found that when you tell someone else you’ve got a goal, you become 65 percent more likely to accomplish it. And when that partner checks in with you regularly, your chances of success skyrocket to 95 percent.

Find someone else who also wants to form a healthy habit—the same habit as you, or another one—and check in with them daily. Cheer each other on, keep each other accountable and you’ll both be more likely to succeed.

DID YOU KNOW?: Nutrisystem offers Partner Plans designed for two people! Lose up to 20% more weight together versus trying it on your own.*

5. Reward yourself for performing your habit.

thumbs up

Habits are built on a loop of a cue or trigger, followed by a routine, and then a brain chemical reward. Here’s an example: Let’s say you have a habit of eating a sugary snack right after work. Your cue is arriving home from work. The routine? Grabbing the sugary snack. The reward is the feel-good chemicals, like dopamine, that are released by your brain when you eat them.

When we develop new, healthy habits, we often forget to reward ourselves. When you perform your goal habit, reinforce it with a reward: Even just giving yourself a mental high five or telling yourself that you’ve done a good job can provide a chemical reward that may help you do it again. Speaking of which…

6. Say your new year habits out loud each day.

When you say your goals or affirmations about yourself out loud, your brain believes you. In a study, scientists found that “future oriented” self-affirmations activated the brain’s rewards systems, and also led participants to be more active. So saying “I will” in a statement you say aloud makes your brain light up, and makes you more likely to achieve the goal.

Use this power to your advantage! Write down your bite-sized, time-specific habit goals, and say them each morning: “I will walk for 20 minutes after lunch today while listening to my favorite true crime podcast.” Do so, and you could be more likely to succeed.

7. Make your environment help you.

Bowl of fruits (apples and bananas) on the counter.

“Out of sight, out of mind” isn’t just a cliché. When it comes to goals, it’s real. A research review from 2018 found that “environmental pressures” helped people reach goals more than just trying to will themselves to change.

That can literally mean keeping temptations away from yourself. In one study, scientists found that when a candy dish was further away, office workers ate less candy than when it was close at hand. So if there are tempting, triggering snacks you’re hoping to avoid, make them hard to reach. Store them in a high, deep cabinet that requires you to really work to get them. This creates time for you to consider whether you really want to indulge.

And to reinforce positive habits, make your environment push you towards things that help your goals. Place a bowl of fresh fruit out where you can see it. Store your packed gym bag or walking shoes right by the door. Keep a Nutrisystem snack bar handy in your purse or work bag for when a sweet craving strikes. Or fill the front of your fridge with pre-cut, tasty vegetables so they’re easy to grab and munch on.

*Scientific literature shows better results among small groups compared to those who tried losing weight alone.

The post 7 Science-Backed Ways to Make Your New Year Habits Stick appeared first on The Leaf.



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Body image issues after weight loss

This is a weird vent to have but I don’t know who else to tell about this. I’ve lost 16 kg/35 lbs, which, for someone at my height, really shows. In a lot of ways I’m very happy with what I’ve achieved, even if I still have some ways to go. But I’m now entering the problem where I look in the mirror and it’s difficult for me to recognise myself. My body, I think, looks better? But it’s really difficult for me to tell and I am getting upset about it without really understanding why. It’s almost like I’m struggling to accept that this is me now and this is also compounded by the irrational fear that this is all a fluke and I will somehow gain all the weight back overnight.

A big factor is that none of my clothes fit properly anymore. Everything is about two sizes too big for me and I’m finding myself very upset about it. I know it’s the kind of thing where people will respond with “you’re so lucky” or “I wish I had that problem” and I get that but also I really liked my clothes. I can’t afford to change my whole all wardrobe and I now hate how everything looks on me. I feel like I’m being ungrateful which is also giving me some kind of feeling of guilt, like my feelings are wrong and bad. I don’t really understand it but it feels unpleasant and I’ve been struggling with it a lot this particular week.

Has anyone had these or similar feelings after weight loss (no matter how big or small) and how did you cope with them?

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Is weight loss as simple as calories in VS calories burned?

I need to lose some weight and have lost about 20 pounds from cutting my diet down significantly and doing cardio every day but since the initial weight has fallen off, it’s proving a little harder to lose the rest. I have also relaxed a bit on my diet as, I think I was consuming more so around 1000 or 1200 cal instead of 1500 like my doctor recommended. He made it as simple as as many calories as you consume versus how many calories you burn is weight gain and weight loss.

For instance, if I eat 500 cal of food and then immediately go outside and run and burn 500 calories in exercise, does it effectively cancel out that 500 calorie meal I ate immediately before it when it comes to weight gain?

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Questions for Men after significant weight loss

For men that lost a significant amount of weight, did you notice a change in your voice? Did it get deeper? What about facial hair? Does your beard look more full since the skin contracts and so there is less space between the hair follicles having more surface area and so it may seem like your beard isn't fully grown if a fat face? Lastly...has anyone actually gotten adult acquired buried penis and had it resolved by the fat loss or did you have to get surgical intervention as well? How were the results post-surgery if you did have to get it? As I hate to admit and embarrassing as it is...my thing is like MAX between 2-3 inches fully erect and that is with me pushing as far back as I can on my fatpad. I do have a lot of fat around the groin/abdomen area.

MEN!! It would be great to hear your experience, advice, and tips.

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