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    Thursday, December 3, 2020

    Weight loss: Daily Q&A Post for Thursday, 03 December 2020 - No question too small!

    Weight loss: Daily Q&A Post for Thursday, 03 December 2020 - No question too small!


    Daily Q&A Post for Thursday, 03 December 2020 - No question too small!

    Posted: 03 Dec 2020 02:01 AM PST

    Got a question? We've got answers!

    Do you have question but don't want to make a whole post? that's fine. Ask right here! What is on your mind? Everyone is welcome to ask questions or provide answers. No question is too minor or small.

    TIPS:

    • Include your stats if appropriate/relevant (or better yet, update your flair!)
    • Check the FAQ and other resources in the sidebar!
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    Just did cardio for the first time and I have the energy of a thousand suns.

    Posted: 02 Dec 2020 03:59 PM PST

    I always forget how good exercise makes me feel, but it's been a long time since I've really worked out and in between I've gained a lot of weight. Tonight I decided it's now or never and did a half hour of low impact cardio following a class on YouTube.

    I hadn't exercised in longer than I care to admit and have been sedentary for a long time. After I did the cardio session I had SO MUCH ENERGY and felt so good. I tackled some dishes that have been in the sink, organized my whole kitchen, and did a bunch of other things I've been putting off. I am amazed at how much energy I have and how good I feel.

    Is it normal to feel this "high" after a simple one time low impact cardio session? What is your favorite low impact cardio on YouTube? The one I did was the one from team body project. I really cannot believe what a difference finally moving made in my mood and energy level.

    submitted by /u/happycrunchcake
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    One Year and 42kgs/90lbs later. My Journey. Things I learnt. Mistakes I made.

    Posted: 02 Dec 2020 11:07 PM PST

    One year ago today, I began my weight loss journey (Again). I was a hefty 120kg (Approx.. 264lbs). When you're that heavy or heavier, you'd know that everyday is a struggle. Hell breathing is hard... But I decided I had enough. Of all the years I could have decided to do it this year had to be it (COVID, University, Essential employment). Originally my goal weight was 80kgs. Today I weighed in at 78kg at 14.5% body fat (That's about a 42kgs/90lbs loss). A size 42 to 32 in pant! XXXL to Small/Medium.

    Sadly, I didn't really take a proper before photo. I was just that ashamed. I had also tried so many times to lose the weight, I honestly didn't think this time it'd stick. However, I do have some photos of big me. I'll put a before and after link thing of me somewhere.

    https://imgur.com/a/mq4LWo4 (Or right here)

    During my weight loss, I tried so many damn diets. CICO worked for me for about 2 months before I began to plateau. It wasn't to hard to start of with apart from cutting a lot of sugars out (fun fact, sugar addiction is very real and withdrawing from it sucks big time). If it works for you stick with it, if not shake it up a little. But do your research.

    Keto was effective but...certain bodily functions DID NOT enjoy it. Again, your experience may vary, as long as you're getting your vitamins and minerals from the food and are not feeling any ill effects. Again research.

    Fasting, I consider my biggest mistake, during a fast I found it very easy to under eat. DO NOT UNDER EAT. Your body will hate you for it and will consume your muscles for energy, which in turn will affect your metabolism. However, there are studies into positive effects from fasting. Do your research.

    Lastly, the final and most effective diet for me was simply, Increase Protein Intake. I felt fuller for longer after meals thus I naturally ate less calories due to that feeling. Additionally, it helped promote muscle retention/growth.

    I'm not going to make any recommendations with diets, we are all different, this is just my experience.

    However, things I DO recommended:

    • Take progress pictures
    • Get a body scan (the first results may be scary but when you get to that goal. You'll be impressed)
    • Brag. What you are doing is great, its hard. Not a lot of people try to lose weight and based on facts even less succeed. Brag about your progress. (Hell even if its just on reddit!).
    • RESEARCH. RESEARCH. RESEARCH. I'm not talking about YouTube videos or health websites. I'm talking Peer Reviewed Journal Articles. Yes, they are boring, but the science is all there. I will throw a list of my favourite articles at the bottom of this.
    • Find a gym pal!
    • Set small achievable goals i.e. Jog an extra 200m after a month. Usually, you'll exceed those smaller goals! It will feel great!
    • If your gonna cheat, cheat meals not cheat days. A particularly bad cheat day can potentially ruin a week of progress. Speaking from experience.
    • FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING GOOD LEFT OF THIS PLANET. SLEEP!

    Things I DO NOT recommended:

    • Don't under eat. Obvious reason is obvious.
    • Don't weigh yourself everyday.
    • Don't let others get you down.
    • Don't over do it on the exercise. If your body is screaming stop. Best listen to it.

    Somethings that aren't really talked about:

    • Buying new clothes is great but after owning literally every size from XXXL to S, kind of sucks (AND COST SO DAMN MUCH). During your heavy weight loss times maybe shopping at thrift shops could cut costs.
    • People at the gym aren't really paying attention to you. That guy lifting weights in the corner. He is looking at himself in the mirror. Trust me. (Because he is me).

    In closing. This past year has been so damn hard. I wanted to give up so bad. I can't tell you how I kept going because I honestly don't know. But now its time to make some new goals, a lean bulk is my next big goal. So, maybe you'll see me around r/loseit in the future. This is a great community and its helped a lot (I've been a lurker for a while). Good luck everyone currently losing weight, Its a tough time do it but I believe in you!

    Journal Articles:

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3661116/

    https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/101/6/1320S/4564492

    submitted by /u/ninjagoldfishgc
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    I hit my goal and lost 140lbs (SV) [35/m SW:327 CW:187 GW:190]

    Posted: 02 Dec 2020 04:56 PM PST

    I am not good at celebrating my own accomplishments, so I have no doubt I will downplay this as I write it out, but I'm gonna try anyways. Back in May I posted about how I hit 100lbs lost. Well this week I finally hit my ultimate goal of getting down to 190lbs. I started on January 1, 2019 at 327lbs and as of this week I went from 192 to 187, so I actually went below my goal and hit 140lbs lost exactly 😄

    I still don't really feel much different, and that's part of the mental part of it that I talked about last time. I can look at the scale, I can look at notches on a belt, or try on old clothes, but I still feel like I'm the same person/size as before. No doubt I have some body dysphoria about that, but I was bigger for a lot of years, I figure it'll take some time to set in now. I guess I can try taking more pictures/selfies because I always hated how I looked before?

    Myfitnesspal 100%

    Chart from start to finish

    submitted by /u/darth_infamous
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    6 year transformation: F 5' 10": 21/210->27/150

    Posted: 02 Dec 2020 11:59 AM PST

    Before/after photos: https://imgur.com/a/yHWGWBr

    Your best years are whatever years you want them to be! I have had a long journey in weight loss and want to share the things that helped me the most:

    I grew up in the south with a family that ate very unhealthy and was taught that you use food to celebrate every good thing going on or any bad emotion/feeling you have. I was fairly active when I was young though so I was able to keep the weight off. By the time I got to college I was eating and drinking a ton and basically stopped moving. I was so unhappy with myself and my life and reached my peak weight somewhere around 210 pounds, although it may have been more and I was just too scared to step on the scale. I saw other people living lifestyles that I wanted and truly thought they were unattainable for me in my lifetime. I finally saw a picture of myself that made me decide I had to start living again and the only person that was going to change my life was me. It sounds cheesy but that change of thought, from thinking that life (and my weight) was just happening to me, to believing that my life is something I'm in control of and responsible for, was the most crucial transition for my weight loss.

    The first step I took was the step I already knew how to make, and that was exercising again. I started going to my college's free workout classes 4-5 days a week. I started to make small swaps in my life in terms of nutrition that made a difference; I cut out soda, I brought healthy snacks to work with me (I worked in a restaurant so it was typical to not eat for 6+ hours and then get fast food after), I drank less beer. In the first year I dropped about 40 pounds of the weight and was able to graduate feeling in a much healthier place.

    I then moved across the country for grad school and this is when I really transformed my eating. I learned to incorporate veggies and fruits into all of my meals, I learned that I stuck to my food better if I planned out all my snacks for the day in the morning, I cooked at home a lot. I think the most important thing I learned about these two years was that the people you surround yourself will influence you. If your friends bike to the bar, so will you. If your friends are active on the weekend you will tag along. If your friends eat slowly, you will match their tempo. I was most motivated to make changes by people I admired that were just going along, living their life, not by people lecturing me or making me feel bad when I had a cheeseburger. You can equally be this for other people in your life. I lost another 10 pounds.

    Finally after school I moved to Colorado and fell in love with mountain biking. I don't see it as a workout at all but I'm in the best cardio shape of my life. Find an activity that you love to do! It doesn't have to be as intense, but if you find anything you love to do it makes it so much easier to be and stay active. During these last few years my weight went up some for a while and now I'm down to my lowest weight since high school. I found that a lower carb diet makes me feel more energized and keeps me feeling full longer. I want to emphasize that I love to eat. I never skip meals and I enjoy all of the foods I eat. Finding foods that make me feel satiated has been key to keeping the weight off. Diet is 80% of weight loss and it took me years to find a sustainable way of eating for myself, especially because I was self taught. Give yourself time to figure out what works for you.

    The food journey is never over. Lately I've been trying to eat more slowly and really enjoy and savor all of my food. For one of my meals each day I set a one-minute timer and have to sit with my meal in front of me, untouched, and have to smell, look at, and think about what I'm eating. I still struggle with body image issues sometimes, women commenting on what/how I eat, and not binging on foods. I carry my weight in my stomach and put it on easily and quickly. But in general I feel so much happier and healthier than I did at 21, and you always have the power to be whoever it is you want to be. I hope this inspires someone to get started today or to stick with whatever goals they have. Cheers if you read through this post!

    TL;DR Fat girl gets skinny.

    submitted by /u/mehoymanoy_3232
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    After I lost weight, I became very angry.

    Posted: 02 Dec 2020 11:24 PM PST

    26M, 6'4", SW: 345lbs, CW: 196lbs

    I lost weight over a year and a half. I just did CICO, it's what works for me (and in general IMHO) I reached 200lbs when I was in 5th grade (I remember my grandpa weighing me and him being in disbelief), and I got up to 300lbs by my freshman year of high school. I went through a lot of shit and dealt with it by eating. I attributed a lot of problems to my weight.

    I wasn't able to see it so much at the time (2018). But once I reached the period where the weight was gone and people were complimenting me, flirting with me, and asking me for weight loss advice, I became angry as hell. I was so fucking angry at the people around me. Because once I lost weight, they smiled at me, held the door for me, and treated me like a real person. They didn't before. Before, nobody gave a shit about me and when I needed help, no one was there. But now they act like they're so happy for me and interested in my health.

    I can't explain the level of anger that came out. It was 100% unexpected. But I slowly began to hate everyone who knew me back when I was heavy. Probably also because I hate and am embarrassed by who I was - I was so young and didn't know what was going on. I resented having missed experiences and feeling less than others for it. Talking to people who knew me back then is absolutely my least favorite thing, because they remember someone who doesn't exist anymore.

    I needed so much help when I was growing up and absolutely no one was there. When I was at school and constantly alone, crying and staying home often, I wonder if the school would've taken more of an interest if I was conventionally attractive.

    I was so angry at others for leaving me alone for so many years, then all the sudden I'm cool and they want to talk to and encourage me. Like sorry but shove it up your ass.

    Did anyone else feel this way after losing weight?

    I am still so surprised when I feel this way. I don't know if I like it or not.

    submitted by /u/mangopiratebird
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    Day 1? Starting your weight loss journey on Thursday, 03 December 2020? Start here!

    Posted: 03 Dec 2020 02:24 AM PST

    Today is your Day 1?

    Welcome to r/Loseit!

    So you aren't sure of how to start? Don't worry! "How do I get started?" is our most asked question. r/Loseit has helped our users lose over 1,000,000 recorded pounds and these are the steps that we've found most useful for getting started.

    Why you're overweight

    Our bodies are amazing (yes, yours too!). In order to survive before supermarkets, we had to be able to store energy to get us through lean times, we store this energy as adipose fat tissue. If you put more energy into your body than it needs, it stores it, for (potential) later use. When you put in less than it needs, it uses the stored energy. The more energy you have stored, the more overweight you are. The trick is to get your body to use the stored energy, which can only be done if you give it less energy than it needs, consistently.

    Before You Start

    The very first step is calculating your calorie needs. You can do that HERE. This will give you an approximation of your calorie needs for the day. The next step is to figure how quickly you want to lose the fat. One pound of fat is equal to 3500 calories. So to lose 1 pound of fat per week you will need to consume 500 calories less than your TDEE (daily calorie needs from the link above). 750 calories less will result in 1.5 pounds and 1000 calories is an aggressive 2 pounds per week.

    Tracking

    Here is where it begins to resemble work. The most efficient way to lose the weight you desire is to track your calorie intake. This has gotten much simpler over the years and today it can be done right from your smartphone or computer. r/loseit recommends an app like MyFitnessPal, Loseit! (unaffiliated), or Cronometer. Create an account and be honest with it about your current stats, activities, and goals. This is your tracker and no one else needs to see it so don't cheat the numbers. You'll find large user created databases that make logging and tracking your food and drinks easy with just the tap of the screen or the push of a button. We also highly recommend the use of a digital kitchen scale for accuracy. Knowing how much of what you're eating is more important than what you're eating. Why? This may explain it.

    Creating Your Deficit

    How do you create a deficit? This is up to you. r/loseit has a few recommendations but ultimately that decision is yours. There is no perfect diet for everyone. There is a perfect diet for you and you can create it. You can eat less of exactly what you eat now. If you like pizza you can have pizza. Have 2 slices instead of 4. You can try lower calorie replacements for calorie dense foods. Some of the communities favorites are cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash in place of their more calorie rich cousins. If it appeals to you an entire dietary change like Keto, Paleo, Vegetarian.

    The most important thing to remember is that this selection of foods works for you. Sustainability is the key to long term weight management success. If you hate what you're eating you won't stick to it.

    Exercise

    Is NOT mandatory. You can lose fat and create a deficit through diet alone. There is no requirement of exercise to lose weight.

    It has it's own benefits though. You will burn extra calories. Exercise is shown to be beneficial to mental health and creates an endorphin rush as well. It makes people feel awesome and has been linked to higher rates of long term success when physical activity is included in lifestyle changes.

    Crawl, Walk, Run

    It can seem like one needs to make a 180 degree course correction to find success. That isn't necessarily true. Many of our users find that creating small initial changes that build a foundation allows them to progress forward in even, sustained, increments.

    Acceptance

    You will struggle. We have all struggled. This is natural. There is no tip or trick to get through this though. We encourage you to recognize why you are struggling and forgive yourself for whatever reason that may be. If you overindulged at your last meal that is ok. You can resolve to make the next meal better.

    Do not let the pursuit of perfect get in the way of progress. We don't need perfect. We just want better.

    Additional resources

    Now you're ready to do this. Here are more details, that may help you refine your plan.

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    Guys, I'm spiraling

    Posted: 03 Dec 2020 01:29 AM PST

    Spiraling down with my mental health, spiraling up with my weight. I was so proud of my weigtloss. I threw out all my big clothes. Now I gained over half of it back. I can only wear the baggiest clothes in my closet. I hate myself for this.

    I know this year has been hard on all of us. For many a lot harder than for me. But man I can't take it any more. College classes only as videos that I can watch whenever made me lose all fun in my studies. I know I should do it but I don't and instead feel bad. My boyfriend of 4y breaking up with me because he doesn't want to me monogamous anymore has been the worst time of my life. It's been 5 months and I'm not over it, not even a little bit. After the initial I can't eat because I'm sad weightloss it turned into a binge that's been going on.

    So the result is me crying over my broken heart, my chubby hips, me being lonely and feeling bad about not studying and my not fitting clothes.

    Instead of doing anything to change that, I pretend to be productive with buying presents and baking Christmas cookies. Which is not exactly helping!

    The cherry on top is the Christmas weigh in. It's been a tradition in my extended family, we get together on Christmas, everyone steps on the scale. There are charts over the years. It's not mean, it's more fun. I was so damn proud last year. This year at least I won't have to step on in front of the whole family but I'm still dreading it.

    I'm incredibly unhappy with my weight and I don't think Im gonna be able to change anything this year. I'm going to be starting the hard way in January again. But then again I remember how my last trys "starting over" went.

    I'm sure a lot of you feel somewhat similar. Anyway I just don't know how to get out of this hole I dug for myself. Would be happy for any advice.

    Keep going strong people, love you all

    submitted by /u/DrSchnipsel
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    McDonald's has destroyed my life

    Posted: 02 Dec 2020 12:28 PM PST

    Hi,

    The title might be a bit hyperbole on my part, which I agree. But I just wanted to post somewhere to kind of ventilate. Not sure if anyone will give two shits but I felt like this subreddit might be more fitting than offmychest.

    Everyday when I wake up.. I put on clothes as usual, grab my stuff and leave for work.
    But what I do everytime I drive to work is that I take a detour to McDonald's to get some Latté..
    Their Lattés are delicious and not comparable to the ones at work. You might think: Ok, you get a beverage, what's the deal?

    Well.. When I am done at work, I feel hungry and do the same, I take a detour before I get home and grab something to eat from either McDonald's or another fast food chain close to me. I get either a burger or fries. and this has been going on for a long time. I'm 23 years old and I act like a fucking 12 year old wanting to eat all the time which is so embarrassing if I tell it to anyone who is close to me.

    I always try to find an excuse to go to a fast food chain.

    The sad part is that I've been late to work a few times just because I feel hungry and or I want to get something before I start work.

    My boss has realized once that I am late but I lie and tell him that I woke up late.

    I even lie to my relatives that I haven't been there for a long time but I am there every fucking day.

    Even the managers there know who I am.

    Thank you for reading,

    bye.

    submitted by /u/gabzlel
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    Time to start again

    Posted: 02 Dec 2020 02:01 PM PST

    After a rather enlightening conversation with my spouse, I realized a bunch of shit. I was not working out/buying makeup/buying clothes because in doing so I felt like I was taking his time or spending his money out of vanity (I'm a stay at home mom of two, he works full time and is involved in a business startup, which takes his remaining time).

    Many miscommunications later, a discussion last night made me realize, that by caring for myself, it also makes him feel good. He never minded the time my working out interfered a little with his schedule, or when I spent money on makeup. It was an incredible conversation and now I feel ready to take care of myself the way I really need to. Maybe now I can let myself throw away my 8 year old eyeshadow, haha.

    So here's to new beginnings!

    I'm 29, F, 5ft 3in, 161lbs

    GW: 130lbs

    30lb weight loss by next December maybe? Here's the hope!

    submitted by /u/karriwitchet
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    My experience losing 65lbs + Tips!

    Posted: 02 Dec 2020 08:48 AM PST

    F, 22, 5'3, SW: 185lbs, GW: maintain 115lbs - 120lbs, CW: 119lbs, WL: ~ 65lbs down

    this page has helped me so much throughout my journey starting in Jan 2020. since losing 65lbs and reaching my goal "range", i thought it may help others to share some of the tips & tricks i've learned since posts like these have helped me immensely. i went with the CICO route mainly because i did not want to cut out any food groups (especially carbs!). to be clear, i am in no way formally educated in nutrition or exercise & these are solely based on MY experience. this leads me to my tips...

    1. what works best for someone else may not be what works best for you - there are so many "diets" out there that may help you to lose weight, but most are incredibly hard to maintain. be honest about your lifestyle and the foods you enjoy most (i.e. i LOVE sweets so cutting carbs long-term would never work for me).

    2. have the mindset of bettering yourself, not just your appearance - "health" means so many different things to different people. i went into this with the mindset that health encompasses physical, mental, and emotional health. each aspect ties together whether you want to accept that or not. if one area is failing, the others are probably taking a hit too. i needed (and still continue) to work on all 3 areas daily. here is real-life example of this: i wake up most mornings with anxiety (mental health). instead of focusing on it and letting it ruin the rest of my day, i get up, get ready, and exercise (physical health) because it raises endorphins and makes me feel better. i'm then able to start my day with a clearer headspace and an overall better mood (emotional health).

    3. the most effective workouts are the ones you enjoy and are most convenient. for example, maybe weightlifting may be more "effective" to reach your goals if done consistently, but realistically, you may not enjoy it or may not have easy access to equipment. as a result, you're going to be less likely to do it often or even at all. instead, experiment with different ways to MOVE your body. you may LOVE yoga, have a yoga matt, and have access to yoga workouts/videos - then focus on that! ultimately, moving your body is what is most important.

    4. start slow & set realistic goals. this sorta plays off #3 in that being honest with yourself about your lifestyle. if you work full-time, you're not likely to be able to do 7 two-hour workouts per week in addition to spending time or taking care of yourself, family, or friends. also, unlike what society says, you do not HAVE to work out for at least 1 hour each time you work out. getting in a 10, 20, 30, etc. minute workout is better than doing none at all. don't think that just because you only have "x" time it isnt worth it, because it IS worth it. set realistic goals. for example, if you rarely workout or maybe never have before, start with taking a 20min walk twice a week and progress from there. having a physical calendar on my wall and marking off the days i workout has been extremely beneficial for this because i can see exactly when i did what and where i can improve/slow down.

    5. prioritize it - this may be the most important tip of all. your health needs to be one of if not your #1 priority. again, your HEALTH, not just your physical health or what you look like, your mental/emotional/physical health all coincide. if you do not take care of yourself, how do you expect to take care of others? make time for it. this can be easier said than done, but it needs to be done (again, small goals first). working on bettering your overall health can help in ensuring your future health will be stronger than it would be if you didn't take steps right now (this, of course, is a VERY general statement as genetics and other health issues can of course impact your future in ways you could have never prevented or expected). do you know how amazing it was to go on a family vacation with my boyfriend's active family and actually be able to keep up (even sometimes pass) with them on hikes or while kayaking? i felt so strong and proud that i worked to be able to get my body strong enough to not only physically be able to do more but to also have the confidence in myself to do it. prioritizing my health hasn't always been easy. i work a full-time job, so i need to go to sleep early in order to workout before work. this means sometimes leaving functions or gatherings early (not all the time because relationships are important, too!) to prioritize sleep. sometimes i have to set aside more time to cook to ensure im filling my body with good but also nutritious meals that will energize me. this is crucial and an area where most people (including me in the past) have missed the mark.

    6. don't expect to be happy once you reach X weight/goal - as someone who was 130lbs, went up to 185lbs, and is now down to 119lbs, i can attest to this. my body so different than what i expected it to be. you need to love yourself so much that you want to better yourself - this mindset needs to start right at the beginning. this can be extremely hard to do, but it will be something you will fall back on to push you to continue to better yourself even in your lowest points (weight loss is a rollercoaster of ups and downs, not just straight down).

    i hope this has helped some of you. these tips have helped to guide me throughout the last 12 months, and i hope to continue to fall back on these tips as i continue on my life-long journey of focusing on my health.

    submitted by /u/petals2019
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    I'm afraid to weigh myself because I know I've ruined everything.

    Posted: 03 Dec 2020 12:42 AM PST

    I managed to lose 35 lbs before lockdown, and I actually kept it off while lockdown was going on. But then I quit my job and started grad school and both my mental health and eating habits have absolutely tanked. I know I need to weigh myself at the weekend to at least figure out how far I have to go, but I'm dreading it. The thought that I might have put on weight, or put it ALL back on, or even MORE, just makes me nauseous. 35 lbs sounds like an achievement until you realise I had to lose 100 lbs-- I wasn't even halfway there before I fell off the wagon and now I know I'm either back at the start or even worse off. How am I meant to do this?

    I just wish someone would sew my mouth shut so I would stop stuffing my fat fucking face. I don't know why something that is so, so easy for everyone else is so hard for me. I don't know why I can't stop eating. I prepare the simplest, easiest meals because I know I hate cooking so it's a barrier to my success, but then when the time comes to eat they just sit in the fridge because I ordered a pizza or went down to the shops and spent £15 on sweets to binge eat instead. I just don't know what to do anymore. I know the theory, I just can't practice it.

    submitted by /u/palaeobabe
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    I think I’ve developed a food obsession

    Posted: 02 Dec 2020 10:54 PM PST

    And I'm not sure what to think of it. I don't feel that it's a bad thing necessarily, but I also think that any sort of obsession is inherently not really a good thing. When I say "food obsession" I mean:

    I'm constantly thinking about food. Not in a bad way as if I'm always hungry/craving junk food, but in a way where I am always planning my next meal and how to make it healthy. I get so excited about planning what and when I'm going to eat.

    I love counting calories. I'm constantly plugging numbers of different food combos into my calculator and using that to plan what/when I'm eating next to make sure I stay close to my daily limit. I already went ahead and planned out what I'm eating tomorrow and how many calories that'll put me at for the day.

    I genuinely get so excited to go grocery shopping. It's probably the #1 thing I look forward to in my daily life. I just enjoy finding foods to buy and planning meals and exploring snack options. Don't even get me started on Trader Joe's.

    Even beyond these, food is just always on my mind. I love watching food documentaries about healthy eating, about junk food, cooking shows, food-related shows like supersize vs super skinny, etc. I like googling random food/weight related topics and can search them for hours.

    Altogether, I don't believe that I'm doing anything specifically unhealthy; for example, I do like to count my calories but I don't have a breakdown or anything if I go over my daily limit, which does happen fairly often, and I eat healthily since my food obsession leads me to making better food choices rather than binging on unhealthy items. Still, I feel like it probably isn't good for something to be taking up my mind like this all the time, lol. At the same time, though, I enjoy it. I'm wondering if anyone else has experience with this and/or has any advice to give. I'm not convinced that I should even change anything for the time being since I like being obsessed, as silly as it sounds. It's kind of like a lame hobby. But something in the back of my head is still saying probably not good!! Idk. Thoughts?

    submitted by /u/_candlestick
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    I've been avoiding this place, but I'm sadly back

    Posted: 02 Dec 2020 01:27 PM PST

    I was really active in this sub about 4-5 years ago while I was on my journey losing over 120 lbs, which I was able to keep off for a year or two, but after making a very stressful career change and letting alcohol back into my life, the last few years have been a blur and before I know it I've gained back about 75 lbs. The strange part is in my head it may as well be the whole 120 gained back because it feels like I'm back at square one.

    I clearly know how to lose weight but when I look at my feeble attempts over the last year, I have to be accountable that in my heart I wasn't committed to making the changes. Honestly, when I started to let go and start gaining back, it was mainly because it had felt exhausting to maintain the weight I had gotten down to. When I was in losing mode, it was easy, there was a goal and a light at the end of the tunnel. In maintenance mode it just seemed like unending darkness of counting and struggle and I chose to give up that struggle when it got to difficult to prioritize weight over my career.

    I'm back and committed and finally realized I'm making good decisions in regards to food and exercise again and it FEELS real this time again.

    If you have lost weight and successfully kept it off for more than 5 years, how did you do it? I'm terrified that this is just going to be a never ending cycle for the rest of my life and am struggling to deal with that.

    submitted by /u/ajs432
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    How do you even make sustainable changes?

    Posted: 02 Dec 2020 09:25 PM PST

    Hey

    I have been dieting since forever. But in the past two years I successful lost ~50lbs. In the last 2 months however, I was so stressed and busy with work I had no time for myself so I "reverted" back to my old habits. I gained 10lbs.

    It took me SO MUCH to lose these 50lbs. I tried different methods. I evaluated their effect on my body/mood. I stuck with the most sustainable ones for me. I thought that I CHANGED but then when life happened all of that went away and I'm back to square one. I am even more annoyed at how easy it is to gain weight yet losing weight take me so much discipline.

    I think I know my problem: I get hungry easily, and when I do I tend to eat whatever that fills my stomach fast because I'm busy and I have to go back to work quickly. So what happens usually is that I eat bread with anything. Then I get hungry again after an hour or so, I eat corn flakes. Then I get hungry again and this cycle continues. The habits that I build over the last two years are:

    • fasting: I usually get hungry half an hour after a meal. I read online that this is due to a sugar spike(?) so basically it's not real hunger. Fasting REALLY helped me control my hunger and suppress it
    • eating two BIG meals: since I eat many mini meals (mini in size not calories), I combined fasting with eating two big meals a day only and the results were amazing!
    • keeping up a journal: I write what I eat, how I feel about it: deliciousness, effect on body (some food make me gassy or feel like throwing up), fullness after the meal and so on
    • calorie counting: I only did it shortly because I tend to eat the same thing over and over, so even without counting I knew how many calories were in my food

    Oh and exercise. Although I consider it to be something for my sake not really something for weight loss.

    What I'm trying to say is, I keep following everyone's advice on taking small steps (I mean I lost 50 lbs in TWO years ...) and changing the habits and I was able to do all of that. But in reality no matter how sweet all of that sounds the moment I was put under stress again I gained 10 lbs back. I am tired of yo-yo dieting and stress from work is already eating me. Adding stress from weight gain is not helping me at all :(

    I also hate how I now KNOW that if I ever stopped consciously dieting, I will not be able to maintain my weight let alone lose some weight.

    Basically, what do you all mean when you say sustainable habits? I thought sticking to something for two years is surely gonna make this habit a lifetime habit? How can I make being healthy a second nature to me not something discipline myself to do?

    For reference I am 200lbs now. my goal weight is around 150lbs.

    submitted by /u/notafitperson
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    The Next Step

    Posted: 03 Dec 2020 12:55 AM PST

    Hi all,

    27M, ~225lbs, ~6'. First time posting here, hope nothing is amiss with my post, I just needed to get this out there somehow.

    I ran cross country all four years of highschool - I remember my very first day I was at the front of the pack, just enjoying running and feeling free.

    I burned out hard. Competing, actually competing, is hard, painful work, and by the end of my time there I had a large mental block about running to train. Looking back, I don't think I really wanted to compete when running, just to enjoy doing it.

    In college I played ultimate frisbee. I loved and still do love the sport, but once again, truly becoming competitive was hard, painful work. School was stressful, and I kept slipping and skipping gym workouts so I could just lie down and relax. The takeout late at night and the beer didn't help either.

    After college, I got a remote tech job. Lots of time spent sitting at the computer. At some point, I started looking in the mirror and feeling cognitive dissonance to what I saw.

    I still picture(d) myself as the wiry teenager who could run 8 miles without a care in the world, and realizing that I put on (what feels to me like) so much weight was a disconnect.

    For a while I think I just ignored it, then I became aware of it and started internally stressing over it, and would end up rationalizing a special meal for myself (read: takeout) to deal with other stressors. My family would end up bringing up that I may have put on a few pounds and should maybe go for a jog when I'd see them (in that infuriating yet at the same time loving way families do when they try to look out for each other). Though well-meaning, their reminders just stressed me out more and I kept retreating from dealing with my weight gain. In my mind, dealing with my weight was something only I could be the impetus for, not anyone else. Though I shared this with my family, it took a while for them to actually respect it.

    I've tried off and on; staying with my family one summer they decided I was going to go low-carb (which didnt last long), I was able to stick with weight watchers for about a month, I tried tracking CICO and just found myself more stressed and stopped. I learned some muay thai in college and bought a bag to use for workouts - that lasted a couple months. At one point I bought a rowing machine on sale, and it's gotten good use, but not really by me, felt too much like running in a weird way. The idea of running gives me flashbacks to the endless sprints, of feeling exhausted after a particularly long run, and planar facietis I started to develop my senior year.

    Something I read here a while ago finally clicked about a week ago: the best diet is the one you can stick with. And in that vein, the best workout is the one you can stick with.

    On Nov 22, I set myself three goals for the next 30 days: 30mins of walking every day, write down what I eat, and some type of light workout over the course of the week. Honestly, that last one I need to work on, but I've stuck with the walking and meal tracking so far. I know it's not a lot, but I keep reminding myself that if this is what I can do right now for it to be sustainable, this is what I'm going to do because it's better than nothing.

    My long-term plan is to review after the 30 days are up, and iterate. Maybe the walks become jogs, maybe the light workout gets harder, maybe I try counting calories again. I should probably work something in about getting better sleep, too. I'm not sure yet, and I won't be until I've proven to myself I can do this 30 days of basic tasks.

    At some point, I want to set a specific goal weight, but for now my goal is to feel better about myself and my next step is to stick with my 30-day plan.

    As for the title of my post, it's from a book which means a lot to me (paraphrased): "The most important step a person can take is not the first one, but the next one. Always the next one."

    I've taken many, many first steps. From now on, I'm focusing on each next step as I come to them.

    submitted by /u/eljakob737
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    [Challenge] European Accountability Challenge: December 3rd, 2020

    Posted: 02 Dec 2020 10:05 PM PST

    Hi team Euro accountability, I hope you're all well!

    For anyone new who wants to join today, this is a daily post where you can track your goals, keep yourself accountable, get support and have a chat with friendly people at times that are convenient for European time zones. Check-in daily, weekly, or whatever works best for you. It's never the wrong time to join! Anyone and everyone are welcome! Tell us about yourself and let's continue supporting each other.

    Let us know how your day is going, or, if you're checking in early, how your yesterday went!

    Share your victories, rants, problems, NSVs, SVs, we are here!

    I want to shortly also mention — this thread lives and breathes by people supporting each other :) so if you have some time, comment on the other posts! Show support, offer advice and share experiences!

    submitted by /u/visilliis
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    It finally fit and it felt so good

    Posted: 02 Dec 2020 11:15 AM PST

    I've been on a year and half long weight loss journey that's had it's up and downs, but in the last few months I've really committed and stayed on track. I cut out junk food, reduced my red meat intake, and drank nothing but water. It's taken me that year and half to lose 30 pounds and I still have another 30 or so to go to get to my goal weight of 145 lbs, but today I tried on this leather jacket that has been sitting in my closet for years collecting dust because it never fit. Well lo and behold! It fits! I was so happy and now I feel even more motivated to lose the next 30 pounds. I'm hoping it wont take as long as the first 30 but at least I can wear my cool leather jacket in the meantime!

    submitted by /u/partridge69
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    Is this a healthy way to lose weight?

    Posted: 02 Dec 2020 09:31 PM PST

    Before I start: I wanna say that I am NOT promoting anything here! I am just genuinely asking a question, please don't take this post as me saying you should do this, I'm not even sure if I should do this. I am just asking for advice.

    My mom did this and she lost around 150lbs; I want to try it, too. It worked so well for her so maybe it would work really well for me?

    I'm 5'1, female, around 260lbs. I'd like to have a starter goal of losing 30. My big goal is to get down to 160lbs! When I was 16, I was 330lbs - now I'm 21 and have managed to stay pretty much between 200-220, but quarantine and a difficult breakup (abusive relationship) caused me to gain a ton of weight due to emotional eating. I'm ready to change! It took me so long as a teenager going to the gym every day after school to get down to 200lbs, I hate that I've gained 60lbs back...

    My mom used to use protein shakes when she was first starting her weight loss journey. She'd have a shake for breakfast, a small snack, a shake for lunch, another small snack, and a light dinner in the evening. Coupled with lots of water and light exercise, she lost a lot of weight.

    I was talking to some of my friends who are really into fitness - half say it's healthy and safe and it's a good idea for me to try, half say it's extremely unhealthy and likely to cause me to gain even more weight. I'm confused!

    What are your opinions on this? Is this a good method of weight loss? If I decide to do it, will I cause myself any harm to my health? I really just want to lose weight and be healthy. I'm currently on a medication that reduces my appetite by a LOT so most of the time I only eat 1x per day anyway...I am almost never hungry in the morning or at lunch, only hungry by dinner, so maybe incorporating shakes would actually help...?

    submitted by /u/SnooFoxes2403
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    First Milestone!

    Posted: 02 Dec 2020 06:26 PM PST

    I am a month into my fitness journey, which I began on November 1. I've tried many times to adopt a healthier lifestyle by trying to eat better or get regular exercise, but I've always failed within 2-3 weeks. I suffered from depression for many years and when I tried to work on my weight, it felt like I was fighting a battle on two fronts and I just couldn't do it. I've been working on my mental health the last few years and am now in a MUCH better place mentally, so I thought I was ready to start working on my physical health. At a month in, I've gotten farther in this journey than I was ever able to while depressed, and I really feel like I can keep this up.

    I wanted to share this first victory with you all as I've been lurking here since summer and many of your posts have encouraged me.

    submitted by /u/mandamanda1
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    Food tracking app for couples?

    Posted: 03 Dec 2020 03:05 AM PST

    My wife and I have use Cronometer to track our meals before, but were hoping to find something designed for couples.

    Are there any apps where we can share entire meals so that my wife can easily copy everything into her diary?

    I do all the cooking and with Cronometer we can share recipes and custom foods. However recipes don't often work because when cooking she might get the same amount of 7-8 ingredients and then a different amount of 2-3 others. Also it's just easier to enter most meals into the diary and most things don't make sense for a recipe.

    Does anybody have any suggestions?

    Thanks

    submitted by /u/gatorsss1981
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    I’m sending in my organ donation paperwork and finally going to make myself stick to losing weight and getting healthier

    Posted: 02 Dec 2020 09:31 AM PST

    I lost my best friend almost 8 years ago. She was an organ donor and was able to save many lives. I've always wanted to donate an organ in her honor and now that I'm a full time student and not working, I'm capable of doing so. I filled out the paperwork to get started on the process of donating one of my kidneys to someone in need. I'm ready to lose the extra weight I've gained over the past few years after having my babies. I've also gotten help (and continue getting help) with my depression, anxiety, ptsd, and ocd and am ready to stop letting those control my life and better myself, mentally and physically. I'm getting help through my insurance's program to help me with the weight loss and sticking to the plan. My journey starts today and I'm prepared to become a better me (physically and mentally) so that I can help someone else in life. I hope I can look back on this some day with one less kidney and less weight.

    submitted by /u/MomOfFour2018
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    My experience losing 140lb and keeping most of it off.

    Posted: 02 Dec 2020 04:31 PM PST

    In 2017 the end of my sophomore year in college I weighed 300lb, due to eating only fast food and the nonstop academic and financial stress. I realized I hated it and was basically killing myself, so I dropped out. And I decided to join the Air Force.

    Soon after I got a job as a shelf stocker at Walmart, and so I was on my feet throwing boxes at first I didn't change my diet, but I was able to lose 30 pounds in about 3 months. Then I started going to the gym every other day for an hour, another 30 pounds is lost in about 4 months. I get stuck at 240lb for about a month before I start meal prepping, eating 1500 a day calories 6 days a week and about 2500 on my cheat day. Six months later I was down to 180lb, where again I got stuck. The last twenty pounds where lost by a combination of intermittent fasting and increasing my gym exercise to daily.

    Now I still meal prep(sub 2000 cal daily and cheat sub 3000), and go to the gym every other day, some times more, but I work a desk job so my activity level is generally lower. I gained 35 during basic and tech school (job training). But i am back down to 180lb, and have been maintaining that almost effortlessly while i try to decide if it is worth it to push back down to 160lb or if I want to focus on muscle gain.

    Keep strong you can meet your goals, it is hard but very worth it.

    submitted by /u/KF5KFJ
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    From chubby to muscular skinny fat and I’m now as thin as when I was 14 and bulimic, just did it healthy this time.

    Posted: 02 Dec 2020 02:35 PM PST

    Hey everyone!

    I hope you're not struggling a lot right now through the holiday season and food consumption. If you are, it's okay just remember that a couple of holiday meals will not ruin your long term progress as long as you stick to it and create lifestyle changes.

    On my end the struggle is a lot more mental right now A month ago I finally lost my double chin which has been the bane of my existence for years and I finally really love my face shape. Over the past year and a half I've slowly changed my eating habits and patterns as well as went to the gym 5x a week doing heavy weightlifting. My caloric deficit was very slight so as I put on muscle the scale wasn't really budging and I was doing something called body recomposition. Through the pandemic there has been 2 lockdowns where the gyms closed in my area and I'm proud to say that I went there both very last days it stayed open and the very day it opened again.

    The gym really allowed me to have 2h a day where I did not have to think, where I could get serotonin boosts, it was also my controlled variable to make sure I was still making consistent progress even when I was insecure. It was my routine even when I was severely depressed and still wanted to lose fat. It kept me on track even when I ate bigger meals for special occasions.

    Now it's closed, and I lost my favourite coping mechanism.

    I'm still eating at a caloric deficit, so I know I'm making progress. However my current body looks the same as 14 years old bulimic me. I had a very early puberty and pretty much everything had grown out by the time I hit 14 so no worries here. I wasn't super thin either, I was slightly chubby back then (in my head or memories) but I got compliments from peers that told me that I had a very beautiful shape. Honestly, I always replied that I looked good clothed and not naked. Due to my ED there was a lot of muscle loss and fat stored that couldn't really be seen clothed.

    Thought now I recovered and my ED behaviours are long gone. It's under control, but the mental part of it still hurts. And I'm now ranting/venting because this current body that I achieved through healthy sheer hard work and commitment, reminds me of one of the least healthy times of my life. One I barely have memories of, and they are uncovering themselves in front of me as I face this part of my fatloss journey.

    Usually, I would just stop thinking about it, hit the gym, feel better and trust the process. But the gym isn't there anymore, and I have to go through the toughest part of my whole journey without it. It really is crushing me.

    rant over, thank you if you made it this far.

    submitted by /u/Chunikko
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    How do people "feel" good after exercising?

    Posted: 02 Dec 2020 07:00 PM PST

    I'm a big guy, and have been my entire life. I've never felt the need to go workout. If I can't do something, I simply force myself to do it until I can. I read all the time about people feeling great after a run or after lifting or anything. I have worked out. I own a treadmill and go running sometimes, and I feel terrible after. I don't feel stronger, I dont have more energy, I just feel terrible. Is it just because I don't do it often enough or what is it? I go for hours at work running around doing things, and I end the day tired as expected. 40 minutes on the treadmill and my legs are stiff, my heart is going and I feel just awful. Is that supposed to feel good? Edit: spelling

    submitted by /u/MartiniHere
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