Loose skin after losing 130lbs

I lost around 150 lbs over 7 years, with the last 80 of it being lost within the last 18 months. Now that I've reached my goal weight at under 20% body fat that I discussed with my doctor, it's obvious that the majority of my still very sizeable gut isn't just fat, but is now mostly just severe loose skin.

It seems like my only effective solution to this is surgery, and I have a severe phobia involving anaesthesia and invasive surgery, and will likely not be able to afford it even if this was overcome.

I've also started boxing, which I really love and has been a huge contributor to my weight loss, but if I had the surgery it wouldn't be possible to practice even with just a bag for at least 6-8 months while healing.

My biggest demoralizer is that I was hoping to finally start putting myself out there and hooking up again when I reached my current weight, but with the severity of my loose skin I don't think casual encounters are possible anymore.

I'm really struggling to cope with the reality of my situation, and feel like I can't mentally accept where I'm at. I wear compression garments and am still cutting more fat to try and improve, but I don't think there's much more I can change. It feels like the more weight I loose, the worse my stomach looks.

What are my options? How did you deal with loose skin after losing a lot of weight? What does dating look like with severe loose skin?

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A month of intuitive eating

I have been doing intuitive eating for over a month now. You can see my first post about it here.

My basic rules are, eat when I’m hungry, stop when I’m full and be flexible if I’m in the middle. As well as that I’m just trying to practice basic portion control.

Doing this I’ve lost 10 pounds in 34 days, going from 237 pounds to 227. I’m very happy with this, even though my primary motivation is to have a healthier sustainable relationship with food, not to go on a weight loss journey. I’m especially happy because while I’ve leaned towards more healthy options I haven’t restricted myself at all. I’ve been enjoying cake and biscuits which is nice!

Here are the things I’ve learnt and things I’ve started doing.

1. Intuitive eating is not intuitive!

I’m getting used to it, but intuitive eating has not been a massively intuitive experience to start! I will find that I am suddenly hungry and then won’t be 10 minutes later, or I’ll feel hungrier than I did despite just having a large meal. If I literally ate when I was hungry and stopped when I was full, my eating would be erratic, difficult to manage and I would be eating twice as much as what I need.

I’ve adopted some general attitudes around this to get around the confusing signals my stomach has been giving me. First is that, if I feel a hunger signal, that means I am hungry, even if the signal goes away. Secondly, is that after I have eaten something, it can take 20/30 minutes for my stomach to actually update my hunger level.

If I eat something and 20/30 minutes I’m still hungry, I will eat something else, but if I eat how much food I thought I needed and feel hungry immediately after, I will wait and see if it settles down.

I am still learning how to manage the normal rhythm of hunger and satiation.

1. Exercise is awesome for inducing appetite

I’ve read some people saying that there are studies which show exercise inhibits appetite. This may be true statistically for all I know but it certainly isn’t true for me! I definitely feel hungrier the next day if I’ve exercised. To be honest this is pretty good motivation to get moving, I like eating! And so it’s nice to have a big appetite and enjoy what I’m eating. Importantly I am not “burning off” what I had for lunch. I eat when I’m hungry and stop when I’m full. It’s just that exercise complements what I’m doing.

1. It’s not about tricking your body

Celery is great. I love celery! I don’t want to trick my stomach into thinking I’ve had food by eating celery. I’m not trying to trick my body into thinking I’ve eaten when I haven’t or try and suppress natural feelings of hunger.

1. Snacks are great!

Snacks are amazing, fruit, nuts, seeds, peanut butter, and hummus are all awesome. They are especially helpful if I have not eaten quite enough for a meal and need to top up an hour or so later. Having snacks available makes me feel comfortable to practice portion control without worrying about not having enough to eat.

1. It’s hard to stay out of a diet mentality

Despite specifically starting this journey to have a healthier relationship with food and not as a weight loss journey, as soon as the pounds started shifting off it has been so hard to stay out of that mentality. I have to remind myself I am not calorie counting. I have to stop myself figuring out how many calories I “burned” during a swim and how well that matches up to what I last ate. I have to stop myself from worrying when the scales go back up and I have to make myself a commit that I am not going to try and eat less just to lose the fat a little quicker. I am incredibly more conscious about my body now because it is quickly changing, and I feel fatter because I am more conscious of what I look like in the mirror.

1. A healthy relationship with eating takes time

There’s no way around it, I’ve spent an awful lot of time the last month thinking about food, exercise and weight loss. While it has been a really enjoyable experience and I’ve been loving all the great food I’ve been eating, it is a lot, it is a lot of time energy and thought. Doing this has brought up a lot of anxieties around eating and weight I didn’t really realise I had. I think I might’ve been masking a lot of my disordered thinking around food and weight by keeping myself full all the time. It is a big adjustment and I think whilst there’s nothing wrong with enjoying myself I do think the healthiest thing is that my excitement cools down into a set of comfortable habits, rather than stays at this level of intensity.

1. Food is a genuine joy in life

It’s really hard to explain my happiness to finally have found a relationship with food where I feel like my body is getting healthier but I also feel nourished. As I am writing this I am excited for the strawberries I will eat when I get hungry, I am going to have them with some ricotta and some chocolate. But I’m also happy that I feel satiated, I feel like I have had enough and that my body has what it needs.

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10 Tips for a Healthy Home Cookout

Enjoy a healthy cookout in the comfort of your own home! Memorial Day is here and warm weather has arrived. Head to the backyard and whip up some nutritious and delicious food that fits into your Nutrisystem plan.

With the right recipes and meal ideas, you can stay on track with your weight loss goals this holiday. We put together these 10 tips for making your at-home cookout a healthy occasion.

20 Healthy Memorial Day Recipes

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Here are 10 easy tips for a healthy backyard barbecue:

1. Don’t starve yourself before the cookout.

We’ve all done it—skipping meals before a big event to “save up” calories for the party spread. But when you’re trying to lose weight, this can backfire. You can get so hungry that you wind up eating even more than your planned “splurge.”

Keep yourself from going so far overboard—and from showing up hangry—by keeping your blood sugar stable. Eat your Nutrisystem meals and snacks before the party and save any SmartCarbs or PowerFuels to go with your cookout meal. The fiber, protein and healthy fats in your normal meals will keep you from being too hungry, so you can measure portions of your cookout favorites and stay on track.

2. Start by filling half of your plate with veggies.

Less than 10 percent of Americans get their recommended daily servings of vegetables, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They explain that eating two to three cups per day can reduce your risk for heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and yes, obesity.

By eating an abundance of vegetables, you’re getting a lot of water with your food. Eating water-rich foods means that you can have more volume for less calories. This can ultimately help you lose weight. According to Science Daily, Penn State research discovered that “women who added water-rich foods to their diets lost more weight during the first six months of the study than those who only reduced fat in their diets.”

So, start with the veggies and use the grill to make them even more delicious! Get some Leaf-approved tips for grilling tomatoes, mushrooms and greens for even more flavor.

3. Find tasty, low-calorie side dish recipes on the Leaf.

A “healthy” cookout doesn’t mean the food is boring—it should be just the opposite! The Leaf Weight Loss Blog is your source for keeping things deliciously diet-friendly. Spice up your coleslaw game with sweet options like this Broccoli Slaw with Cranberries and Lime or a fiery, crunchy bowl of this Spicy Peanut Slaw. Or go cucumber crazy: Whip up some of this five-star rated Cucumber Dill Dip or a bowl of this Zesty Cucumber and Dill Salad.

Find more recipes like these healthy cookout sides right here! >

5 Low-Calorie Condiments to Use at the BBQ

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4. Tackle your cravings head-on.

Now that your plate features some veggies, get down to business. Identify the cookout food you’re craving most and dish out a healthy, measured portion. That’s advice straight from our Nutrisystem registered dietitians: If you’re really craving a food, you should eat it. Denying yourself a small piece of a favorite pie or a slice of cheese on your burger won’t make the craving go away—it will more than likely lead you to graze on other fare, unsatisfied. It’s better to have a portion you can measure and enjoy, so you can calm your cravings and stay on track.

Click here for more surprising weight loss tips from our health experts! >

5. Keep the calories on your plate, not in your glass.

Sugary beverages are thought to be a big part of the obesity epidemic in America: From 1977 to the year 2001, Americans increased their daily consumption of sweetened beverages from 50 to 144 calories per day, says The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Over the course of a year, that could add up to over 50,000 extra calories!

Keep your calories down and the flavor up with something summery and fun that features fruit: Try one of these refreshing summer mocktails! > If you’re a beer drinker, choose one that satisfies for fewer calories—like one of these 10 low-calorie beers that actually taste good. >

6. No grill? No problem! Pan sear your meat for a crisp crust worthy of the grill.

If your go-to grill move typically involves heading to a local park, you may not have a grill in your backyard. However, you can get the same flavors you love inside by pan searing your meat to perfection.

Brush a cast iron skillet with oil and turn the burner on high. Make sure to turn on the exhaust fan so your smoke alarm doesn’t go off! Brush a small amount of olive oil on each side of the steak and season liberally with salt and pepper. Once the pan is hot, cook the steak for 90 seconds to two minutes on each side. Then transfer the steak—in the pan—to the oven to bake at 325 degrees for five to seven minutes until medium-rare.

7. Marinate meat to fight cancer.

When you grill meat, compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are created, according to Natural Medicine Journal. HCAs are considered carcinogens and are said to increase the risk of cancer. However, marinating your meat in herb-infused mixtures, especially ones including rosemary, can decrease the formation of HCAs on your grill by up to 70 percent.

Try this simple, rosemary marinade for beef: Mix a half-cup of red wine vinegar, two tablespoons olive oil, a quarter-cup of chopped rosemary, two crushed garlic cloves and salt and pepper to taste. Marinate the meat for at least an hour, then drain and cook.

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8. Grill some fruit for a sweet, surprising dessert.

Grilled watermelon, pineapple, peaches and plums are bursting with flavor: The grilling caramelizes their natural sugar, so the foods taste even sweeter. These delicious and refreshing fruits are packed with fiber and immunity-boosting vitamins. Plus, they are much lower in calories than the sad, melting fare you’ll usually find at a cookout’s dessert table.

Get grilling tips for a variety of different fruits right here on The Leaf! Check out this guide for 10 fruits that taste even better grilled. >

9. Don’t focus just on the food!

Sure, it’s a “cookout” and burgers and dogs are delicious. However, it’s not the reason everyone’s together. We’re finally able to get together. So, have a plate and make sure it satisfies. Sit down, take your time and concentrate on the flavors and textures of these delicious cookout foods. In a recent study, published in the International Journal of Obesity, researchers looked at the eating habits of 60,000 people. They found that eating slowly can decrease the risk of obesity.

When you’re finished eating your healthy barbecue meal, put your focus on those around you. We’ve all been apart so long that this could be easier than ever. But make a point of remembering: This event is about food, yes, but it’s really about being together. So be present and be together!

10. Have a plan for the food and the leftovers.

If you cook up a smorgasbord, have a plan in place for the aftermath. Before guests arrive, figure out how many portions of each type of dish you can plan to add to your eating schedule in the following days. If there’s a favorite dessert, salad or entrée you’re making, think about when it can fit into your plan. Keep the correct number of pre-measured portions for yourself and your family when guests leave. Then have containers ready for others to take the rest of the leftovers home with them. You’ll have pre-measured treats that fit your lifestyle, and less temptation to pull you off your plan in the days following the cookout.

10 BBQ Survival Tips from a Weight Loss Expert

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The post 10 Tips for a Healthy Home Cookout appeared first on The Leaf.

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Progress, Venting, and Accountability

Hello all! Sorry if this is a bit incoherent rambling but I'm just typing and letting my thoughts fly. Apologies in advance.

As of today I have officially lost 81 pounds. My starting weight/highest weight was 480 lbs. I weighed in at 399 lbs this morning. I am now in the 300s for the first time in about 5 years. This is a bittersweet victory for me. My weight loss journey started last year around June. To start with this, I was on and off again with a long-term girlfriend of mine. Neither of us were really sure what we wanted and I decided I needed to go to therapy and lose weight in order to be happier with myself and hopefully commit to her as I wanted to. I had such a fear of failure since our original relationship ended on the account of me becoming sedentary, depressed, and just not as fun to be around. I finally decided to get mentally and physically healthier to be a better partner for her. I was steadily improving and becoming the best version of myself.

Well, I found out a few months ago that she developed feelings for a close mutual friend and they decided to both cut me out of their lives and date each other instead. I was as you can imagine, absolutely devastated. She threw away almost 10 years of our history together for someone that will most likely end up treating her poorly. I know that says more about her than me, that there was nothing I could have done, it still doesn't hurt any less. Normally, this would have made me relapse so to speak but instead of ordering greasy food and staying in playing video games, I started walking between 15-20k steps per day. Whenever I think about the situation and my anger or my sadness, I just get up and walk. At this point I had already lost 50 lbs but now in the last 2 months I lost an additional 30 pounds from eating healthier, going to the gym, and walking until my feet hurt.

I cannot stress enough how vital therapy and proper medication is necessary for sustained and consistent weight loss, especially when you are at such a high weight. I struggle with BED and definitely have an addiction to sweets like soda and candy. If you feel like your weight is in anyway connected to your mental health, please seek help. It is so important and it can send you on a path to bettering yourself not only physically but in all aspects of your life. I know it has improved mine.

I lost the first 50 by just eating healthier, I did nothing but cut out bad foods/drinks, and just made smarter choices. I had failed so many times before making crazy changes, tracking everything I ate, going to the gym 6 times a week but it lead to the infamous weight-loss burn out. This time around, I am just eating healthy foods, cooking more, and being more active. My lifestyle is completely changed and I think that is what the difference is. I know when I lose a bit more I'll probably have to restrict a little more and be conscious of calories a bit but having counted so many times, I have a pretty good idea of what I can eat and what I shouldn't. I haven't maintained a healthy lifestyle for this long (nearly a year now) in my entire life but it's working this time. I know it's cliche but doing what works for you, works. You know?

For anyone coming to this Reddit and seeing everyone with their progress, their crazy workout routines or diet plans, you don't have to do that. You just have to do what works for you. I tried walking more and going to the gym when I was first losing but I was so heavy that my feet killed me after walking a few feet. I was winded going up the stairs. I'm not a track star now, but I could have never imagined me walking as much as I do now. 15, 20k steps a day? When I was lucky enough to get 1000 prior? I would have laughed in your face if you told me that a year ago. I like to say "1 is more than 0". As long as you're doing more than you were and you try to do that consistently, you will see changes. Stop focusing on time. Stop focusing on the potential failure. Just do what you can today and it will be easier to do it tomorrow. I promise you. I am 31 years old and my entire life I have been obese. I know I have so long to go to where I want to be but I have never been more confident in my ability to get there. I never thought I would get here, but I'm doing it. And I know you've probably heard this before but I SWEAR if I can do it, so can you.

So I am making this post to reflect and be happy with my progress as I cannot share the win with the person I started this for. I knew it was always going to be for me, I just wanted to share the best version of myself with her. This isn't a heartbreak reddit so I will leave it at that. I am going to keep going and be the best version of myself that I can. Thank you all for your inspiring posts. As a long term-lurker, it really does mean the world when other people share their successes and their troubles. If anyone wants to talk about weight loss, heartbreak or just needs a friend, DM me. I have been a bit lonely since losing two of my closest friends and the other friends that I knew around them. I could certainly use a distraction.

If there is one thing I could leave you with, it's this; happiness, to me, is a balance of self-love and discipline. You need to be able to give yourself the grace and love to stumble. To take that day off. To not kick yourself for eating that dessert. But the discipline to not make it a habit. To get yourself out of it and become the best person you can be. Something I've learned to do in therapy is talking to myself like I would a loved one. The next time you get down on yourself think about that. Would you tell your friends that they are failures for stumbling? Would you pick on them constantly? Would you remind them of their flaws when they are already down and depressed? Of course not. Be good to yourself. And if no one else has said it today or recently or ever, just know, I love you very much. You deserve all the good in the world and just know that there is one person that believes in you.

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Where do I start?

I’ve been on a weight loss journey since January. I was watching what I eat and worked out 5 times of the week but never saw a difference. Up until March I decided to get on Phentermine and lost about 15 pounds. I am 4’11 and now currently 135. I really want to get down to 115 but I’ve been stuck at 135 for a month now and haven’t seen a difference. I want to be 115 by the end of June since I have a wedding but I’m not sure how to achieve it? I’m still taking Phentermine but my weight hasn’t gone town. Preferably I want to lose 3 pounds a week. I been eating one meal and day haven’t worked out but I still don’t see a difference ..

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SAGGY BOOBS

I’ve lost 10kg, going from 66kg to currently sitting at around 56kg and one thing I’ve realised is that my boobs have gone so awfully saggy, it’s so uncomfortable to be braless. I’m only 19, but according to picture references online, my boobs are facing stage 2/3 ptosis.

I don’t usually care because nobody sees my boobs, but the sagging makes it so uncomfortable. It feels like my skin thats attached to me boobs is being PULLED down (because it is) and I get so overstimulated by the feeling of them sagging halfway down my stomach. Just to relief the uncomfortable feeling (when I’m not wearing a bra) , I stuff my clothes below my bra to minimise the contact these saggy jugs have with my upper stomach.

I cannot stand this feeling and although my boobs are objectively smaller, it feels so much more uncomfortable now than when I was at my highest weight. I know it’s down to genes but I really wanted my boobs to get smaller after weight loss (my big boobs made me horribly insecure). But, they’re just DEFLATED SAD JUGS

Anyone experience the same?

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Maintaining weight loss while injured

After weight loss yo-yoing for years, I’ve finally been in a place where I’m exercising regularly and eating in a reasonable calorie deficit and I’ve lost 13 pounds so far. Yesterday, I moderately sprained my ankle and my dr has me in a boot for the next couple weeks. Obviously this injury will put my workouts and walks on hold while I heal. My question is if you’ve been in a similar situation, how have you at least maintained your weight loss (while still supporting healing) until you could exercise again??

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