Do I need to add ''actual'' cardio to my routine?

I (30F 155cm 70kg) started losing weight couple of months ago and lost 5 kg (7 in total, because I added two back during holidays). Just a week ago I decided I want to become healthy too and started exercise as well.

I am doing Caroline Girvan Iron series, well trying to at least. Due to old meniscus tear wound that I never completed surgery for, I have some knee issues - but only when I put them under stress. My added weight and poor muscles are actively contributing to that. So I am replacing some of her exercises with alternatives. Anything leg related gets bodyweight only, and I do easier form of squats and reverse lounges etc. When I feel knee being stressed out I stop. I also noticed, in just a week, that my knee endurance seem slightly longer.

Month ago I started incorporating longer walks. I walk for an hour with moderate pace. I still didn't start counting mileage, but I plan to, and also picking my pace up a bit.

Anyways I was pretty pleased with my advancement. Especially now, after starting Iron series.
When I do Iron series in morning and then my afternoon walk I feel so amazingly confident! I don't even feel like myself It's just so amazing! I don't even look away when passing mirrors, but instead shoot secret glance and actually am happy with what I see.

That was until I spoke with my friend, essentially I shared how happy I am about progress, and especially about exercises (including walk in that), but then she told me that I will never lose all my weight at that pace and that I need to start doing **real** cardio. I got a bit defensive and told her that I am primarily using calorie deficit for weight loss and all of this is just extra so I can become healthier. But then she pointed out that if I really want to be healthy that real cardio is must. She exercises a lot, 6 days a week, and she told me if I do strength training, that strength training should be supplemented with cardio like: 4 days strength and 2 days cardio.

So now I am all confused. I have a bit severe OCD, and everything that I do needs to be planned in advance and be ''clear' in my head. One of the reasons I was never really active was that just finding information on exercising would trigger cognitive overload and I would just drop everything.

I finally found something I could settle for, but now if I add cardio I am afraid I will just drop everything. I already know the pattern, and I tried running before, but I ended up quitting. It's totally on me, I quit because cardio is painful on my lungs and also boring so I couldn't find the will to do it.

Somehow I went from being estatic and finally finding routine I am comfortable with, just to rewrite it completely. I am trying to overcome my triggers but somehow I am not sure if dropping cardio thing really is good for my health or should I just try to rewrite my entire routine incorporating that? I am just so afraid of quitting, because I tried cardio thing numerous times before (including Insanity program, various HIIT exercises) but always just failed being consistent. Still I do want to be healthy.

TL;DR
Currently doing Caroline Garvin Iron series and everyday 1hr walks, but friend told that's not enough and that I need to incorporate Cardio too for halth benefits. I am afraid cardio stuff will just make me quit all progress due to previous failures. Should I clench my teeth and try to incorporate it or am I fine without cardio for the time being?

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Dating and friendships pre and post weight loss

Hey all!

I am currently on a journey to become healthier and lose weight.

For context, I (late 20s F, 5”3) struggled with weight all my life.

I found it very hard to make friends and date, especially with the latter (constantly get ghosted, many chats get nowhere online despite using full length and up to date photos) Whereas I found women much more friendly, than men even in normal interactions.

At the moment I’m staying away from dating, and was wondering if any of you were treated differently, in a dating and friendship context pre and post weight loss?

Thanks!

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Body recomp after a calorie deficit

I am approaching my weight loss goal of 142lbs (I know that’s specific but it’ll be 55lbs down), whether I reach it or not I plan to start to reverse diet the end of March until I reach my maintenance calories because I’ve been in a deficit for 10 months now and need a break.

I’ve adjusted my calories overtime as I’ve lost weight which made it much more sustainable to be in a deficit for this length of time.

I’m looking for insight into body recomposition as I’d like to continue to build muscle while losing body fat, but I don’t necessarily need to see the scale go down, I’m happy with my current weight. Do I still need to be in a slight deficit to achieve that? I weight train 5x a week already and have been since July 2024 so I’m not new to weight training and I do know what I’m doing. I eat a high protein diet and focus on my fiber intake as well, I’m just looking for some info from others who are maybe farther along in the process! (Not sure if it matters but I am female and 5’1”)

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I hit a plateau in weight loss

I started my weight loss journey since Jan 17. SW: 207 lbs, CW: 200 lbs. According to TDEE calculator , my calories for maintenance is approx 1900. After deficit I am eating 1440 calories daily. I hit the gym 3-4 times a week, which involves 2 days weight training and rest cardio/tread. I try to get 6k to 8k steps on the days I don't go to gym. I measure and track everything in MFP. I have a cheat meal on Friday night and may be once more during the week ( when work is super hectic and do not have time to cook). Even during cheat days, I try to eat more proteins and usually am very careful. The last couple of weeks, my weight has not changed and just kept swinging between 200-201 lbs and it's very depressing to see no change even though I am trying my best. I was also diagnosed with PCOS fyi. I feel ,compared to others , my weight loss is real real slow and I am not sure what I am doing anymore. Feel lost right now!

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Does the food noise ever go away?

I’ve been on my weight loss journey for close to a year now and have lost 30kg so far. It was fairly easy for me in the beginning, probably because I was really motivated. I got into the groove of it within a couple months and it just felt like this was my life now. I am very strict with my deficit but I will have a day or a few days without calorie counting every now and again on birthdays, holidays etc.

But the food noise is always there. I’m always thinking about food and how I can fit certain things into my deficit. And so on days where I’m not counting, I feel like I have to make up for everything I’ve lost. Even though I still eat most of the foods I like in a deficit, it’s not satisfying enough for me if I don’t get it in the quantity I want. Like it’s very easy to fit one cookie into my deficit, but I could eat the entire bag so it doesn’t feel satisfying? I feel like I need to have these almost binges to feel satisfied.

And then the issue is, it takes so much for me to get back on track. It feels like I’m starting all over again every time. How do people not overeat when they’re not counting calories? It seems like I’m going to have to count calories forever because I have no self control if I’m not counting calories. My appetite is no smaller, the amount of food I can/want to eat is no less than before. I just don’t get how this is sustainable and how people keep the weight off. It bums me out to think I’m always going to have to control what I eat and how much I eat.

I guess it just feels like no amount of discipline is going to re-wire my brain, I got to my highest weight because I couldn’t control myself when it comes to food and deep down I’m still that person. Without counting every calorie I consume there’s no way I could maintain let alone lose weight. Does this ever change?

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What am I doing wrong here?

Hi I’m 21f and I weigh around 330lbs/150kg. I took mj ( form of ozempy) for around 3 weeks and stopped because of heart palpitations. I lost 8 in that time and I have since gained 3 back.

It really hurts to walk but I’m getting a bit better as I reached 5k today and I plan to try again to walk before the end of the day. My calorie goal is 1800-2000. I’ve been losing and gaining the same 3kg for 2 weeks now and it’s so disappointing. I’m doing this weight loss mainly to love myself and to be able to go outside without feeling guilty and sad. Why am I gaining and losing the same weight? Right now I’m 150.2 but yesterday I was 151.1 and the day before I was 149.9😭. How can I push past this?

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Struggling saying no to pudding in social situations

I have got a lot better at saying no to pudding or eating less when I am just with my partner. I was doing well losing weight. Then we had several weekends of people coming to stay and my partner loves baking and insists on offering pudding. She always does quite a bit and even when I ask for a small bit it is perhaps bigger than I should have. I feel really weird not having anything when three others are. I was in a video call earlier today and I could see my face has got a bit rounder and sitting here at a table building some Lego I can feel my stomach more and I don't like it. People also keep giving us chocolates and my partner goes through phases of buying sweets, mostly for herself but I struggle with not eating any. I have got better though and I refused the anyof the huge bowl of chocolate during film night on Saturday and had only salted popcorn (normally I have no snack and have got better at saying no to cinema snacks - not something I ever used to do but peer pressure in groups etc).

Weight loss is tiring even though I definitely feel like I have more energy as I lose weight. I also think I need to accept food wastage and just get rid of cake offcuts that my partner leaves for me when she bakes for work. And I wish people would stop just giving me boxes of chocolates, it is a very nice thought but not helpful.

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