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    Home Unlabelled Weight loss: Giveaway/Contest in r/Volumeeating! Come share your healthy holiday hacks for a chance to win!

    Weight loss: Giveaway/Contest in r/Volumeeating! Come share your healthy holiday hacks for a chance to win!

    December 15, 2020

    Weight loss: Giveaway/Contest in r/Volumeeating! Come share your healthy holiday hacks for a chance to win!

    Giveaway/Contest in r/Volumeeating! Come share your healthy holiday hacks for a chance to win!

    Posted: 14 Dec 2020 11:34 PM PST

    Face Gains and Overcoming COVID & Divorce

    Posted: 14 Dec 2020 08:21 AM PST

    As alluded to, face gains... https://imgur.com/a/inC42a0

    I started this journey to better health a few years back when I hit 260 pounds... the most I'd ever weighed in my life. I started doing CICO (no exercise) and after a year or so I got down to around 185. I was happy with my results though in March of 2019 my wife & I separated.

    I held it together until about Dec of 2019 when I started to eat my feelings and then COVID hit and when I went in for a pre-op visit in July I weighed 225. I broke down in the exam room and cried like I just lost my dog. Depression had never hit me so bad. A few weeks later, after deleting all my social media, my best friend called asking if I was OK and for the first time in my life I answered the question honestly.

    He grabbed my hand and started hitting me up every day and got me back on the "healthy horse" and in the following 4 months I've lost back down to my original weight and this morning I weighed the lowest I've weighed in probably 20 years... 179. And that's with weight training on top of hiking and running.

    I'm close to being in the best shape I've been in my entire life (my present to myself for my 50th next year is to be healthier than I've ever been), both physically and mentally and I have to admit that my mental state has a BIG part in my physical health. Please don't bottle your shit up and think that people don't care. Depression is a jealous bitch that knows we'll leave her if we talk to others so she does everything she can to keep us isolated. Ignore her. Rely on your support network. Dominate your health.

    ​

    [edit] The support from all of y'all! Words can never express how good it feels, but we already know this is one of the best communities on here. I love y'all!!

    submitted by /u/rlanthony
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    From 276 lbs to 213 lbs

    Posted: 14 Dec 2020 05:50 PM PST

    In 2014, I was 17, just joined the military, and i was 200 lbs. As I got out a few years later, I had started gaining weight. Not quick, but enough for it to become obvious that I had no control.

    Before I knew it, May 2020 comes. I go to the doctors office, step on the scale, and it says 276 lbs. I had become fat, lazy, and depressed. That wasnt even the point that I changed! It was two months later when I had told my girlfriend that I promise to lose the weight, no more soda, and to help clean more. She was fed up with it!

    I started with cutting out soda, and that was a smart move. I had this idea in my head that drinking calories was just a waste. (The only calories i drink now are from a protein shake or almond milk now.)

    Next step was to cut out sugar and carbs. It was extremely hard to do that. My coffee alone had 4 tablespoons of sugar. and I'd drink 3 before work. We all know carbs are everywhere. Its hard to avoid all the good tasting cookies, chips, and candy.

    The last steps I took were incorporating workouts every morning (at home using the Freeletics app), walking my dog farther, and fasting. I wont go on about those because they're all self explanatory. I currently eat one meal a day, and include 2-3 day fasts regularly.

    For me, having a support system or coping mechanism for bad days is a must. For example, I have my fellow mods over at r/stressfreexmas ( christmas gifting sub for families in need, go check it out).

    They helped keep me motivated and ready to keep going forward. They make sure I workout daily, because I still don't want to, I fast how i plan, and eat when i'm supposed to! ( I've known them longer than the sub has been up)

    I'm still about 15-20 pounds away from my goal, but I'll get there.

    (Goal is 8-10% body fat and between 195-200 pounds)

    https://imgur.com/a/Ef2SVaT

    submitted by /u/Nibiru_realm
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    After watching "My 600-pound life" with my Fiancee, I think I'm ready to start taking care of business.

    Posted: 14 Dec 2020 04:05 PM PST

    Please excuse my use of a throw-away, but this is a sensitive subject for me. I am a male, 27 years old, 6'2" and 420 pounds (nice). I never much cared for the show as I thought it was embarrassing to watch these crazy fat people paraded around for the camera and crying while eating pizza but my fiancee recently started marathoning episodes and I kinda just watched them with her by proxy. I was amazed to see these people losing 50+ pounds a month by diet alone even before any kind of weight loss surgery. I've found myself feeling shitty that these people are fighting to get their weight down to what I'm at now. I feel like shit constantly! I feel like I'm at my worst now but now I realize that it can and will get SO much worse if I don't make a change soon. My problem is that I have no idea where to start. I do not currently have access to any kind of doctor and have no clue how to diet properly. The only kind of working out I've ever really taken seriously was weight lifting in high school for football but as all the gyms around me are currently closed with this COVID bullshit, I'm up a creek there too. I live in the dead ghetto so leisurely strolls are literally out of the question as well lol. Oh, and did I mention that I absolutely hate cooking and meal prep?! Am I just fucked or what boys? ANY help would be appreciated. I think the place I need to start is diet. I believe I eat roughly 3,000-3,500 calories a day and would love to try the bare bones. 1200 cal diet that a hyper obese person like me seem to do so well with to shed the crazy "extra" fat before I get serious about physical activity. What do you think? Again any help or input is appreciated very much.

    Edit: thanks for all the responses frens :)

    submitted by /u/Glowie_Fren
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    Realizing why I have been unwilling to try to lose weight

    Posted: 14 Dec 2020 10:59 PM PST

    Please I hope this is allowed. I need to talk and just need friends please. Last night I had a break down and a break through at the same time. As I sat with my husband crying and venting, I realized that my family doesn't give 2 shits about me (besides my mom). I have always had the thought in my head I am not good enough for anything, my older sister used to chase me around with butcher knives and other objects and call me fat. She would even sing the song "fatty fatty 2x4". I became depressed at 16 when my dad kicked me out for getting a D in science, he didn't want a failure in his house. I was a size 5 and 125lbs at 5'1 at the time. I went back to my mom's and ate and gained and gained and gained weight. I have been 250lbs at least. At my highest 300lbs. I am currently 240. I have finally decided I'm done with being this heavy and not good enough. I am ready.

    submitted by /u/anijwhitewolf77
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    Here we go again

    Posted: 14 Dec 2020 09:02 AM PST

    In 2018 I lost a ton of weight. 90 lbs. Fuckin crushed it. I looked and felt great, even though I wasn't yet at my goal. Then 2019 began literally the worst 2 years of my life. I was suddenly struck down by chronic pain, the cause of which was only just discovered now. My little brother died. I fell into a depression that was at time suicidal, which I'm only beginning to claw my way out of. So I put back on every pound and then some, through a combination of total inactivity and "fuck it who gives a shit anyways" style of eating. But then, in the last two weeks, that attitude lifted. The catalysts? 1) I got put on cholesterol medication at fucking 38, and 2) I finally discovered the source of my pain, degenerative spinal osteoarthritis. Those two factors, together, snapped me out of it. I refuse to be on cholesterol medication for the rest of my life. And my pain will never get better, I will always have it, but one thing I CAN do to help is to drop all of this fucking weight.

    So here I am. 38F, 5'. Starting at 271lbs, by far the fattest I have ever been in my entire life. But last week? Last week I ate like a champion. I'm working with a nutritionist. I'm keeping track of my food. I'm eating fruits and veggies, cut way way way back on sugar and simple carbs, and doing my best to cook for myself even though it's difficult because I have a lot of issues cooking due to the difficulty of standing. But I'm here. I'm doing it. I will lose weight. I am staying off the scale, because I don't want to get discouraged or cocky due to the number, but am instead trusting the process and getting my eating back on track. I will lose this weight. While I would love to fit back into the adorable clothes that I used to wear, it's not about looks anymore. It's about health. My body is crumbling around me, and if I continue down the Fuck It Road, I will end up immobile and in agony. So for my health, and my sanity, I must do this. And I will.

    Last night I had salmon with roasted asparagus and a single serving of wild rice for dinner and it was so delicious that I wondered why I bothered with uber eats so much when tasty shit like this has always been available.

    submitted by /u/KnittinAndBitchin
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    Dunno where this idea that you have to cut off everything you enjoy comes from. If it fits, it fits.

    Posted: 14 Dec 2020 01:30 PM PST

    I dunno where this idea that you need to completely cut out all of the unhealthy snacks you used to enjoy comes from. As long as you think you can make it fit into your restricted calorie allowance... then go ahead. Enjoy yourself.

    For example, I had exactly 164 grams of Ben and Jerry's Phish Food Ice Cream today and, with the rest of my food for the day... I've landed at exactly 1200 calories (weighing food is key)

    So, go ahead, eat that doughnut. If it fits, it fits.

    I don't recommend just eating high-calorie foods, because those won't actually make you full and you'll crave more unhealthy shit later, but if you've got calories left over, go ahead. Enjoy. Just don't overindulge, aha. That's what got us here.

    Overall, enjoy yourself. I'll admit that I've had days where my calories are nearly entirely comprised of chocolates and other such stuff that people say you can't have under any circumstance. Still 2 stone down thus far lol.

    submitted by /u/Smolders1
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    20lbs down, finally out of the 300's

    Posted: 15 Dec 2020 12:48 AM PST

    I just weighed in at 299lbs this morning.

    I'm finally about to surpass my precovid weight, 297lbs. Going to the gym since June has been easy for me, but walking for an hour has been hard for me.

    I was getting upset and annoyed by my constant need for a bio break 5 minutes into my walk, 20 minutes in, etc. After doing some reading, it dawned on me that I can control my mind, but not my body. Giving myself extra time to hit my 1hr goal was what I needed, not feeling frustrated.

    I also did a body scan and saw that my amount of muscle hadn't gone up since 3 months ago. Chasing the pump, stalling, and doing random machines were holding me back from getting to a more appropriate weight.

    I also started creating a community at the gym. One of my "disciples" started taking my weight loss advice and the thought of him losing more weight than me from my own advice sparked something inside of me.

    Dropping 20lbs is a great feeling, my joints feel so much better. My next goal is 279. 265 keeps floating around in my head because it's the UFC heavyweight limit.

    submitted by /u/shokaru
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    Ladies! Don't make my mistake. Be aware of the changes to your appetite that your hormones may be causing.

    Posted: 14 Dec 2020 02:11 PM PST

    I'm 27, starting weight 229lbs CW at 205lbs. This is actually my second round of weight loss. 3 years ago after giving birth to my second child I was able to lose around 70lbs between CICO and breastfeeding with light exercise towards the end. That weight FLEW off in 6 months. Starting was hard but after my first 10lbs lost the numbers just came so easy.

    Thanks to another pregnancy last year, depression, bad eating habits and general poor relationship with food I gained all of it back. And more.

    Now I'm back on track again (FINALLY after many failed starting attempts). But one thing I've noticed. It isn't coming off as fast now and it isn't as easy this time around.

    It is also good to note that I have PMDD, which basically means my menstrual cycle and hormones are not kind to me. I have intense PMSing 2 weeks out of the month that stop as soon as my period hits.
    BOY I don't know how it just hit me. Every month the same cycle. 2 weeks I do GREAT. Stick to my caloric deficit. Even get some exercise in. Then for a week it feels like more of a struggle. My relationship with food starts to feel strained. Not binging feels really hard. I swing into wanting to restrict out of shame and frustration and not eat at all (which leads to an even bigger binge).
    Where carbs didn't sound that appetizing for those two amazing weeks now I stand in the kitchen staring at my children's snacks and the bread in my pantry and crave sugar like nobody's business. 3 days before my period I end up breaking. I have fast food. I have candy. I get caught up in a downward spiral where I feel like I've ruined all my progress and continue to eat poorly. I feel like a failure. I will be overweight forever. I look bloated and terrible. I had felt so good, I was seeing progress! Why do I look so awful now??

    And then I get my period and poof it's gone. I'm back on track. I want to keep pushing.

    It was only this month that it finally clicked for me. And it may be the same for other who don't even have PMDD. I look back and I've always had those typical "I need chocolate and fried food" cravings before my period.

    Now that I have connected the dots I can start being kinder to myself. Maybe give myself a little more leeway during that time as hardcore restriction just seems to make it worse. And to understand that I WILL get back on the wagon. It is temporary. I know that the biggest reason that I gained my weight back was because my first round of weight loss I didn't take the time to learn why my body acts the way it does. This realization feels like a big step in the direction of lasting, sustainable health and weight loss for me. I hope maybe it'll help someone else out too. Hormones can be so tricky and it isn't always obvious when they're messing with your body chemistry.

    submitted by /u/External
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    I ate my first real meal of the year today.

    Posted: 14 Dec 2020 08:09 PM PST

    I dont know if this belongs here but I hope you still read this, please tell me to delete this if it's not appropriate.

    I've been struggling with disordered eating all my life. By the time I was old enough to walk to the kitchen and get food myself I did. I grew up "fat" and it's all I've ever really known. I'm a bit older now and my bmi is very high. I knew I needed to lose lots of weight, but the way I did it was absolutely not healthy. My body dysmorphia sent me into a cycle of restriction for the past year and a half. I've been yoyoing, and I'm back to the weight I was before the restriction started.

    I've decided I've had enough of it. I know recovery isnt that easy, but I need to kick this beast in the teeth before I suffer serious damage.

    It made everything worse.

    My work suffered

    My grades suffered

    My relationship suffered

    I suffered.

    I'm referring to it in past tense.

    I deleted every "proana" account I have and left every community. It scares me how I got that bad.

    Tonight, I ate some tortellini and a pretty decent salad. With lots of water. Probably not the most nutritious in terms of protein but while eating it I noticed that this is the first meal of this year where I wasnt either restricting or drastically overeating.

    This is the first step in my eyes. I don't want to hate myself anymore. I want to lose weight, but the proper way, and recovery is hard. I know the habits won't go away overnight but I'm going to work on them.

    If you got this far thank you for reading this. I hope your day is awesome and that you remember to take care of yourself <3

    submitted by /u/sarahlinee
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    Down one pound and lost inches this week ��

    Posted: 14 Dec 2020 07:05 AM PST

    I was disappointed when I stepped on the scale this morning but when I checked last week's stats, I realized I actually lost one pound as well as an inch off my waste, legs and stomach 😁

    I realized that weighing myself everyday might not be the best thing for me and tracking my measurements each week can help offset my frustrations when the scale doesn't budge as much as I want it to.

    It's been over a month and I've only lost two pounds, but I started tracking last week and I'm hoping it will help me hold myself accountable.

    I think taking measurements each week might be helpful for others too when the weight loss is slow.

    submitted by /u/Comfortable_Intern57
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    Anyone uncomfortable when people comment on your weight-loss

    Posted: 14 Dec 2020 02:59 PM PST

    I am close to loosing 100lbs within the last year and a half. I literally look like a different person. I am beyond thrilled. I am startled when I look at old pictures as I didn't realize I was how big I was.

    So whenever anyone, be it close friends/family, random at the gym or co workers etc comment I get extremely uncomfortable. I know I do not love being center of attention but also I really am proud and want to embrace it.

    I just do not know how. Also I can't help but wonder if there is some shame attached to the way I looked before. Therfore when someone makes a remark about how good I look I instantly think of how bad I must have looked.

    Anyone else??

    submitted by /u/peacefulby40
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    Do it for yourself.

    Posted: 14 Dec 2020 09:11 AM PST

    A couple of weeks ago, I got back in touch with a guy I haven't seen in 10 years. We hit it off amazingly over social media, texting all the time and two hour phone calls.

    We decided to meet up (socially distanced of course) and I can't explain to you the way he made me felt when he saw me.

    Now this year hasn't been kind to me, I lost my job, went through a horrendous break up, was back on anti depressants, had to move back in with family and just general 2020 shit. But when I tell you, the worst thing was seeing this guys face scream from his eyes "you're too fat for me" I wanted to die.

    The rest of the day was kind of awkward and I couldn't get it out of my head that I just looked obscenely massive compared to him. I'm 5ft 4 and 180lbs. I know I've gained weight this year through over indulgence- but this was the kick up the arse I needed.

    I joined the gym Sunday, and I have booked myself in with a PT tomorrow morning.

    I am not going to ever let a guy make me feel like that again. I am going to be a warrior and conquer my weight once and for all. I need this for me, I need to prove to myself I can do it because I can't ever have a guy give me that "Look" again.

    I've lost weight before but this year I've gained what I lost and more back through excessive drinking and too much Uber eats. Also depression is a bitch.

    But fuck depression and fuck 2020. Oh and also fuck that guy !

    Wish me luck

    submitted by /u/Jerrington96
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    FROM FAT TO FIT: Lessons from a One Year Shred

    Posted: 14 Dec 2020 07:03 AM PST

    Hi Everyone

    I recently posted my progress photo in this (and other) groups showing the result of a year of fat loss progress. Since then, I've been getting a constant flurry of DMs asking for information, so I thought I'd take the time to put together a document outlining the approach that I took, in the hope that it might help and inspire those who are looking to achieve similar results.

    Fair warning - this is a LONG read. If you're looking for shortcuts and quick fixed, this guide isn't for you - but the harsh reality is that if you want to lose a lot of weight, there are no shortcuts or fads that are going to get you there any quicker. So grab a coffee and settle down for what's hopefully an interesting and valuable read. I would hope that even those who consider themselves to be fairly well established on their respective journeys will be able to take away a few key points from this.

    Along with the inevitable sections on diet and exercise, I will go into quite a lot of detail about what I feel is the very overlooked psychological and mental aspects of a prolonged dieting/cutting phase, touching on the challenges I faced along the way, motivation, and balancing your mental and physical health.

    Before we get started, I'm going to lay out a few key terms that I touch on in the guide. Most likely you will know what all of these terms mean, however it's dangerous to assume, so here we go

    GLOSSARY:

    Bulking - A term used to describe the state of being in a calorie surplys. Essentially a synonym for "gaining weight"

    Calorie = A unit of energy. In the context of fat loss/body weight, calories are both consumed through food and drink and expended through activity, whether that's formal 'exercise' or bodily functions such as digestion.

    Cardio - Aerobic exercise that depends on the aerobic energy-generating progress. Examples are running, cycling, swimming, walking etc.

    Cutting - A term used to describe the state of being in a calorie deficit. Essentially a synonym for "losing weight"

    Energy Balance = The net effect of the calories that you intake versus the calories you expend. This can either be a "calorie surplus" (you intake more calories than your body needs), "maintenance calories" (you intake the amount of calories that your body needs) or a "calorie deficit" (you intake less calories than your body needs).

    HIIT = High Intensity Interval Training - refers to exercise performed in short bursts of high intensity, with little rest time between intervals.

    Macros - An abbreviation of Macronutrients, when people talk about their 'Macros' they are referring to the amount, or balance, of their diet that comes from the three main macronutrient types - Carbohydrates, Fat and Protein.

    Maintenance Calories = See "TDEE".

    TDEE = Total Daily Energy Expenditure. This is a measure of how many calories you burn each day. If you ate exactly this amount of calories, you would neither gain, nor lose weight (in reality this is impossible as you will never know the EXACT number). Also referred to as "Maintenance Calories".

    INTRO: My story

    I'll make this brief, but I think it's important to know a bit about the person who's advise you're taking. What makes them qualified to offer advice, and why should you trust it? Well, whislt I have no formal qualifications, I have 'been there and done it', so to speak. My starting point is one which I'm sure many people who are embarking upon a weight loss journey will relate to.

    At the time of starting my journey just over a year ago, I was 33 years old and like millions of peolpe my age, have spent the last 15 years sat at a desk for 8 hours per day, and then sat on the sofa in front of the television for most of the rest of the day. Sure, I'd dabbled with the occasional bit of physical activity, but the stark reality is that I lived an incredibly sedentary lifestyle. I was always very much a 'I'll start the diet tomorrow' kind of guy. Couple this with falling into the standard trap of eating too much junk/processed food and drinking too much alcohol, and before I knew it here I was, the classic middle-aged, pot-bellied stereotype who got out of breath reaching for another chocolate bar.

    Two years ago this weekend, our family suffered an immense trauma with the unexpected and traumatic passing of my brother, who was just 18 months my elder. This led to another prolonged period of over eating and over drinking, and the blunt reality is that I was in a truly terrible place both physically and mentally. I knew that if I didn't do something about the path I was going down, I could be in trouble.

    Fast forward a little to March of this year, and I had just started to try and get things under control. I'd been dieting since just before Christmas, aside from a two week vacation, and then COVID-19 took the world by storm. All of a sudden I was working at home and things became even worse. Surrounded by easy temptation, staring at the same four walls, not even having to get dressed in the morning to step outside and face the world. For a month or two I continued down a bad road, and gained back most of the weight I'd lost, slipping back into bad habits with food and alcohol. Then all of a sudden, for reasons I still can't explain, a switch got flicked inside me and ignited a burning desire to get off my chubby arse and finally do what I'd always wanted to do - get lean, and stay lean.

    And here's where this guide really starts....

    PART ONE: Fundamental concepts

    You know what they say about cliches - they're absolutely true. And the best cliche of them all in the diet world is that 'you can't out-train a bad diet'. I'm afraid to say folks, that this is absolutely true. No matter how hard you are working in the gym, weight loss comes down to one thing, and one thing only - energy balance.

    You MUST be in a calorie deficit to lose weight. End of story. No "if"s, no "but"s. The body is simply a machine. It needs a certain amount of fuel (calories) to perform it's tasks. The more demands you place on your body (exercise), the more fuel it needs to perform those tasks. But the simple reality is that if you want to lose weight, you must consume fewer calories than you expend.

    Why? Because in simple terms, when your body runs out of fuel through the food and drink you consume, it will turn to stored reserves of body fat to "top up the tank". Conversely, when you intake more fuel (calories) than the body needs to perform the demands you place upon it, it will store that excess fuel as body fat for use at a later point. In a nutshell this is why we gain weight when we over eat and drink, and lose weight when we under eat and drink.

    A common myth in the dieting community is that you can do certain exercises to 'spot reduce' fat or target fat loss from a particular area. This is 100% fantasy. Whilst you can do exercises which target certain muscle groups to promote muscular hypertrophy (growth) of that muscle, body fat is lost from around your body depending on a variety of factors, primarily genetic. The only thing you need to remember is that if you keep applying the principles of a calorie deficit, you will continue to lose body fat from anywhere it's stored.

    PART TWO: Establishing your caloric requirement

    OK, so you've gotten this far and you believe me when I say that in order for you to lose weight, you need to be in a calorie deficit. But what does that actually mean, and how do you know if you are consuming the right amount of food? Well, the reality is that you don't, really. It's guesswork. You need to start with a number, and observe what happens with your weight over a reasonable timescale.

    If you google "TDEE Calculator" you will find various websites offering tools that will give you a rough estimate of your daily caloric need in order to maintain your body weight. Try and find a calculator that has quite a few questions about you such as height, weight, age, gender, exercise level etc as these factors all contribute significantly to your approximate requirement.

    When you have chosen a calculator of choice, you want to use it to give you your "TDEE" or "Maintenance Calories". From this number, you want to subtract an amount of calories that you are happy to sacrifice each day. In basic terms, a larger deduction will equate to a faster weight loss, and a smaller deduction will lead to a slower weight loss. A generally established rule of thumb is that 1lb of body fat = approximately 3,500 calories, so deducting 500 per day will equate to roughly 1lb per week of weight loss. I don't particularly like this way of thinking, because depending on your starting weight, age, height and gender, maintenance calories can very hugely from individual to individual. 500 calories to someone who's TDEE is 1,700 calories is very different than 500 calories to someone who's TDEE is 3,200 calories. So you see, there really is no "one size fits all" answer to this equation.

    I personally prefer taking a percentage approach. I would recommend a deficit of around 15-25% depending on how quickly you want to lose weight. From experience I can say with certainty that a deficit of more than 25% is a bad idea and will hinder your progress (more on this later).

    The key thing to begin with is to pick a number, and STICK TO IT. You need to spend at least two weeks eating, and exercising with consistency, in order to observe the results, so that you can adjust accordingly. Believe me when I say that NOTHING will derail you more quickly and easily than constantly making knee-jerk reactions to your intake or exercise program based on (for example) daily weight changes.

    When you are starting out, DO NOT WEIGH YOURSELF DAILY. It is an absolute recipe for disaster and demotivation. No more detail needed, just don't do it. If you can't trust yourself to not do this then have someone in your house hide the scales (I'm serious).

    At an absolute maximum, you should be taking a once per week weight reading. This should always be done under as near identical conditions as possible - ideally first thing in the morning, before eating and drinking, after you have been to the toilet if necessay, and without clothing. Consistency is key in making an accurate judgement in what is happening with your body weight.

    You can use your weekly weight reading to make minor adjustments to your daily calorie intake or expenditure. If your weight is not reducing at a rate you are happy with, then make a small adjustment and re-assess next week. This could be by eating say 100 calories a day fewer (adjusting your intake), or going for an extra walk once per day (adjusting your expenditure). Or both. If your weight is reducing too quickly, then similarly, either increase your daily calorie intake slightly or decrease your calorie expenditure by reducing the length of that morning run.

    The most important thing in all of this is accurately measuring the calories that you consume. There are a great many tools to help you do this, but by far the most common is MyFitnessPal. This allows you to scan and log everything you eat and drink. It's laborious, but it gets results. You can't possibly expect to know what you are consuming if you don't track it. You won't always have to be this meticulous, especially as you increase your knowledge of your body and nutrition in general, but at the start it's absolutely essential.

    PART THREE: Diet

    They say that the best diet is the one you can stick to. That couldn't be more true. There are so many fad diets and contrasting schools of thought on the 'right' diet, but the only thing that matters is that you can stick to the diet you impose on yourself.

    One thing I wish I knew earlier in my journey is that for the purpose of a prolonged fat loss program, A CALORIE IS A CALORIE.

    Yes, that's right folks, 2,000 calories of Oreos is going to do exactly the same for your body fat level as 2,000 calories of celery. The difference is simply that you'd need a wheelbarrow to accommodate the celery, and you'd feel a lot more full after chomping your way through it.

    Now that's not to say that you SHOULD have a diet of 2,000 calories of Oreos per day. You don't need me to tell you that eating clean is going to be better for your overall health and wellbeing than eating 90% junk. But if you have successfully established your calorie requirement, and are eating less calories than you need, you are going to lose weight regardless of the source of those calories.

    So if I could give the slightly younger me one single piece of advice to take into the last year or so, it would be to EAT FOOD THAT YOU ENJOY.

    Now, obviously this comes with a few points of note. All foods have varying satiety factors, and some foods can be eaten in large volumes for relatively few calories, whilst other foods can only be eaten in tiny amounts yet put a huge dent in your daily calorie budget. Therefore, it stands to reason that if one is voluntarily reducing their calorie intake for a prolonged period of time, it is smarter to get the majority of your calories from high satiety, high volume foods.

    I didn't lose weight by following any magic diet. There was no magic food that made me lose weight by eating it. I simply existed in a permanent state of caloric deficit over a prolonged period of time. At the beginning, I was too caught up in the concept of 'good food' and 'bad food' that it affected my relationship with things like chocolate, crisps (chips to you Americans!), sweets (candy), ice cream etc. I thought that if I ate those foods I would suddently stop losing, or even worse, start gaining weight again. That was because I was pretty ignorant about the fact that it's just a numbers game. You can still enjoy all the foods you enjoy now, you just need to enjoy them in smaller quantities so that you can accommodate them in your daily/weekly calorie budget.

    I'm a firm believer in the 80/20 rule, which applies to many facets of life, not just dieting. But in the context of diet and nutrition, if 80% of your calories are being spent on healthy, nutritious whole foods, then making up the additional 20% from 'bad' food (or most importantly, food you really enjoy, whether it's deemed 'good' or not), is going to make your life better, and most importantly, not going to have any adverse impact on your goals.

    It's also worth mentioning that you don't have to think of things in days. If the number you are working to is 2,000 calories a day, does that mean that you absolutely can't eat 2,100 calories one day? Of course not. I found my happiest balance to be having fairly 'lean' weekdays and then weighting more of my calories to the weekend. So if my number was 2,000 a day, I might aim for say 1,750 Mon-Thu, then 2,250 on a Friday, 2,750 on a Saturday and 2,000 on a Sunday. Total 14,000 / 2,000 per day on average. It will have no impact on your goals whatsoever to do that.

    As far as macros go, people get far too bogged down in macros in my opinion. For me, it's something to worry about a lot more if you're bulking rather than cutting. If you're eating a relatively clean diet, comprised mainly of whole unprocessed foods, then your macros are going to be OK for general health.

    PART FOUR: Exercise

    We all know exercise is good for us, but how much should you be doing when you're dieting? The honest answer is as little or as much as you want to do.

    Here's my take on it.

    Some people love to eat, and some people get no pleasure from eating, and just use it to fuel their activity. I'm the former. I'm a huge foodie. I love looking at food, thinking about food, cooking food and most importantly, eating food. Therefore, for me, I would MUCH rather do more exercise, and thus be able to eat more to achieve the same net calorie number. For this reason I went in hard on the exercise.

    At the start of my diet I was doing pure cardio, running 5-6 times per week on a treadmill. Then the better weather came and I went from the treadmill to the outside world. Once I'd lost quite a bit of weight, I built a gym in my garage and started to incorporate some resistance training (weightlifting) into the mix. I then learned that I enjoy resistance training a lot more than cardio.

    Both cardio and resistance training are excellent ways to shed body fat. Your ultimate goal physique will determine what area you focus on to begin with. Once again, I'd say the only 'right' choice is the one you can stick to and apply consistency to. I would strongly recommend having a set schedule and trying to stick to it, especially in the early days when you are trying to work out your TDEE and reacting to the change in body weight. If you are doing vastly different amounts of exercise per week it'll make it harder to ascertain whether you are under or over eating.

    In terms of my routine, I wasn't doing anything special. Over the last year I've ran, cycled on a bike, cycled on a spin bike, lifted weights, and done some bodyweight training (i.e. pull ups etc). I think doing a combination of varying different types of exercise has been good for overall health and strength, but in all honesty I could have done any type of exercise during my shred, and it would have yielded results, because the only thing that mattered was that I was in a net caloric deficit, achieved either through diet or exercise, or in this case, both.

    PART FIVE: Psychology & Mental Health

    There's absolutely no getting around it, losing weight over a prolonged period of time is hard work. It takes a level of commitment and discipline that can be difficult to adapt to. But like anything that's worth doing, results have to be earned. It's not fun going out to dinner and ruling out 90% of dishes because they'd blow your calorie 'budget' out of water. It's not fun saying no to that second, third or fourth drink. It's not fun having broccoli instead of fries with that steak.

    But do you know what IS fun? Getting the tape measure out for the third week in a row and seeing that you've lost yet more size from your waist. Going through your wardrobe and throwing away everything that you know you'll never ever be big enough to wear again. Going round to see friends and family that you haven't seen in a while and seeing their faces when they see the progress you've made.

    The most important thing for me was telling myself "this is temporary". And it is. You won't be doing this forever. Depending how much weight you want to lose, it might feel like it, but trust me, it goes by a lot quicker than you think. And you need to remember that it's not a race. You're not in competition with anyone. There are no prizes for finishing first. There will be weeks where you might not be able to manage a 20% deficit, and you can only do 10%. That's ok. There will be weeks where you might not manage a deficit at all, and you settle for maintaining your weight. That's also OK.

    Now, I'm going to give you some advice that I didn't take myself during my shred, but in hindsight I should have. Give yourself a diet break every 6-8 weeks. By this I don't mean stuff your face with every calorie you can find and say "it's ok", but I mean have a few days where you DON'Tvlive in a calorie surplus. Believe me when I say it will make your body and soul glad.

    I'm a very determined person, and when I say I'm going to do something, it takes a lot to stop me. To that end, I was too stubborn to take my own advice, and put myself on the precipice of mental burnout on more than one occasion.

    As I got to the last month of my shred (in mid November I made my decision that my cutting phase was going to end on 1st December no matter what weight I was), I cut my calories even more aggressively, and upped the intensity of my workouts, hardly ever having a rest day to let my body recover, and loads of HIIT cardio workouts. I was operating for the best part of a month in a 30-35% caloric deficit, and I can honestly say that I wouldn't recommend that to my worst enemy.

    My sleep was affected massively, my moods were awful, my sex drive went out of the window completely. I was constantly exhausted and yet I pushed on, and kept doing it to myself knowing it would soon be over. In hindsight it was a mistake, and I'd recommend to everyone that you don't want to fall into that trap and make the same mistake that I did, thinking that the more you push yourself (past a certain point) the better your results will be.

    I'm going to end now with my ten TOP TIPS for getting through what will be a very difficult, but very rewarding phase of your life.

    PART SIX: Top Tips

    1) LOG YOUR FOOD AND DRINK METICULOUSLY

    The more knowledge you have about how your body responds to a set calorie level, the quicker you will ultimately get to where you need to be, because that knowledge is what you need to optimise your plan of attack. A splash of oil when cooking? LOG IT. Some gum? LOG IT. No excuses!

    2) DON'T BE A PRISONER OF YOUR CALORIE NUMBER

    If you work out that 1,800 calories represents your 20% deficit, then this means you need to eat 2,250 just to maintain your weight. So if your average for the week is 1,900, that doesn't mean you've failed, so don't beat yourself up about it. It just means your deficit is about 15% instead of 20% this week, and that's OK. You're still losing weight!

    3) SET SHORT, MEDIUM AND LONG TERM GOALS

    Don't get so obsessed about the end result. Sure, your goal might be to lose 20, 50, 100 or even 150lbs. But that doesn't need to be the only thing you focus on. Set a short term goal, i.e. "I'd like to lose an inch off my waist this month", a medium term goal, i.e. "I'd like to drop a clothes size by spring" as well as thinking about where you want to be long-term.

    4) LISTEN TO YOUR BODY

    If you need to skip a workout because your legs are screaming and you need to recover, take the time to recover. I've not listened to my body on more than one occasion during the last year, and I've injured myself in the process. I was lifting weights in the summer and I felt a twinge in my shoulder after the session. I woke up the next day and it was still sore, but instead of resting up for a day or two - which probably would have solved the problem - I stubbornly refused to take a rest day. I think you can work out where this is going - yep, I ended up injuring myself properly and couldn't do that exercise for several weeks.

    5) GET SOME MORAL SUPPORT

    I consider myself very lucky that partway through my shredding phase, my wife wanted in on the action. The difference was unbelievable when we were both working towards the same thing, and could use each other for moral and metal support. If you don't have someone in your life to lean on for support, drop me a message and I'll be your support buddy!

    6) SEE IT AS AN INVESTMENT IN YOURSELF

    It's easy to come up with reasons why we can't do it, and chief among them is 'I don't have the time', whether that's to cook proper meals, workout, or both. And I'm sorry but they are just excuses. We all have the same number of hours in the day and it's up to us how we choose to spend them. When I first started, my number one complaint was that I 'lost' so much of my 'me time'. Then I realised that 'me time' meant sitting on my lazy arse, watching football and shovelling junk food in my mouth. Now my 'me time' is spent investing in my long term wellbeing. I see the time spent cooking, working out and meal planning as some of the most rewarding time I have, and don't miss my old lifestyle one bit. Really challenging yourself to change your perecption on something can be really rewarding.

    7) ACCEPT THAT SOMETIMES LIFE GETS IN THE WAY

    It's very easy to get so caught up in 'the plan' that you find yourself going to great lengths to not waver from your path. But sometimes, life isn't perfect. Think twice before you instinctively turn down that piece of birthday cake, or a beer with a friend you haven't seen for ages. If you are doing the right things, most of the time, you're going to see fantastic results.

    8) DON'T GET OBSESSED WITH THE SCALES

    No matter how many times this advice is dished out, people think that the only thing that matters is the number on the scales. There are SO MANY factors that affect your body weight at any one given time (which is all a single scale reading is - a snapshot in time). The amount of water your body is retaining. When you last went to the toilet. Your hormones. There's a lot more to it than your level of body fat.

    Understand this - you can have existed all week in a true 20% calorie deficit, yet there will be weeks where your weight on the scale has barely moved. Now, you know that it's physiologically impossible that your body hasn't turned to your reserves of body fat this week, because you haven't given it sufficient fuel to do it's thang. Yet you stare at that number on the scale and say to yourself that you will have to eat less next week becuase what you're doing isn't working. NO!

    Of course, if you continue to see no change after 2, 3 or 4 weeks, that can be indicative that you ARE consuming around your maintenance calories, and that your intake needs to be reduced. But do NOT make knee jerk reactions to one single weight reading.

    The most important assessment tools you have in your arsenal, before we get to the scales, are:

    • Your eyes and the mirror
    • A measuring tape
    • Your clothes

    These ALL give you a more accurate representation of your progress than the number on the scales at a freeze-frame moment in time.

    Which brings me nicely on to the next point...

    9) MAINTENANCE CALORIES IS AN ALWAYS MOVING TARGET

    The good news? You lost 10lb this month. Amazing!

    The bad news? Your body now needs less calories to do it's thing. Not so amazing.

    But unfortunately this is the harsh truth. A huge component of your caloric requirement is your current body weight. As you lose weight, you will need to recalculate your TDEE periodically to ensure that you keep striving for the level of deficit you are trying for. I would recommend adjusting this no more frequently than once per month, as we aren't talking about enormous changes, but they all add up. If you lose 25lb, you are not going to need the same number of calories that you once did, and to continue to eat at that level of calories will simply erode into your deficit.

    And finally,

    10) GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK

    This shit is seriously hard work. It takes a massive amount of commitment and discipline, and we are humans not machines.

    There are times when you just want to eat something because you damn well want it, and that's perfectly OK.

    The single most important thing is coming up with a plan that YOU can stick to. If you're finding it too tough to cope with, scale things back a little and accept that it'll take you slightly longer than you planned. It's no big deal. Your mental health is every bit as important as your physical health, and holding yourself hostage to a plan even if it's not working for you will ultimately cause you stress and mental anguish. I'm not saying don't push yourself, you absolutely should, but learning to recognise your limits and giving yourself a break when you need it is fundamentally important.

    So there we have it, I hope this guide can serve as a useful help to those who are just setting out on a similar journey to me, or even those who are already on their way but maybe needed some words of encouragement!

    Take care and good luck in achieving your goals!

    https://imgur.com/a/U9txYPG

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    I'm finally out of the 200's for good

    Posted: 14 Dec 2020 10:25 AM PST

    At the beginning of the year, I started at 277lb. I've struggled with having a healthy relationship with food throughout the year. I had previously lived with an enabler who always brought processed, junk and, fast food into the house. It was tough overcoming the temptation. The unhealthy food would be there and, I would always felt as if it were calling to me.

    I resisted as much as I could but, sometimes I had slipped up and, gave in. Needless to say, it was indeed a bumpy ride to where I am now. As quickly as I lost weight, I also tended to gain back a couple of pounds or even end up maintaining during the process. Even though I was losing weight, I still had an unhealthy relationship with food. If it wasn't for my will to fast, than I most likely wouldn't have gotten anywhere.

    In my mind, I didn't think that I was still overeating when I absolutely was. There were times where I had even blamed my scale for being a cheap malfunctional device, when that wasn't the case whatsoever. I may have been eating 3 meals a day, yet I still didn't have the knowledge that eating a pound of boneless chicken was over 1thousand calories itself. I was raised on bad eating habits and, my mom would always cook huge chicken breast for each person. I didn't know squat about proper nutrition or what a normal portion was.

    I had to teach myself and, do all of the research that I could. I ended up buying myself a food scale and, kept track of what i ate. It of course worked. Upon moving out on my own, I was able to buy healthy foods while having no sweets, junk or takeout. I slowly put the calorie counter away and started to trust myself a bit more with food.

    However, I managed to screw up for 3 month straight after I stopped calorie counting. I plateaued and, even gained some weight back. I got myself stuck in an endless loop of going back and forth from 203lb to 210lb. Again, I thought that I was eating right but, I actually wasn't. Somehow I managed to go back to eating large amounts of food again.

    It was a vicious cycle. I had no choice but, to go back and, start weighing out my portions again. My weight slowly went back down to my previous lowest weight of 202lb, on the fourth of December. I had hopped on the scale today and, I had reached 199lb. I am officially out of the 200's for good.

    I haven't been under 200lb since I was a very young child. I am determined to not let myself go back in that range ever again. I will continue to weigh out my food and, keep my diet balanced. My sized 14 skinny jeans are becoming a sleeping bag on me. I'm planning on waiting till late spring to buy myself some shorts on whatever size I am then. Even though winter isn't even here yet, I'm pretty pumped for 2021 to get here.

    I had a bmi of 38 and, I'm now down to 27. A normal bmi for my height is 23 at 170lb. My goal weight is 150lb. I'm getting close to the end of my journey and, I'm excited to finally reach the finish line.

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    One Successful Day

    Posted: 14 Dec 2020 07:19 PM PST

    I felt the need to post this today. I've been so out of it the past few months. I took a job on a campaign and worked insane hours....I gained 20lbs because I couldn't manage. The pandemic already put me at a disadvantage too. I won't go all into my story. Today, I went on a walk and rode on my stationary bikes and actually counted my calories. Today I took an active step and I'm really proud of myself. It's not the first time I've started this journey...but...every time I do I really forget how hard it is to start up. This is hopefully my last time but boy does it at least feel good to have started at least one day off right.

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    Sometimes a break is what you need

    Posted: 14 Dec 2020 08:12 PM PST

    I just got done with a planned one week "break." It was challenging but ultimately what I needed I think. I feel ready to get back to tracking and finish losing these final few pounds.

    If you are feeling a little burnt out, sometimes taking a calculated break can bring you back to a place where you are ready to make progress again. Just make sure you have a plan to get back on track. I knew I needed a break because I was getting lazy with tracking, sneaking snacks and telling myself it was fine, and feeling deeply fatigued with the process. I also made negligible progress the past two weeks bc of this. After a week off I actually missed it lol. I got back into the groove of things and feel ready to go.

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    Making this post so that I can look back on it a year later.

    Posted: 14 Dec 2020 11:46 AM PST

    I'm 29. About to be 30. And I have very bad self-confident issues.

    I'm 6'1". I'm a big guy. Don't really look my weight. If I had more confidence in myself, I know I could do better with women. It's not like I haven't had women in the past, but a lot of my own personal confidence issues stopped me from really taking that next step. A lot of them also caused me to fuck up many chances.

    Yesterday, I began a new journey in my life - eat healthier, try to be more active, and just enjoy life more. With Covid it's a bit harder to go to the gym. But that's not an excuse for me anymore, because there's plenty of 30-minute at home workouts that you can do. I did one yesterday and it kicked my ass, but hey, look at me, today I feel better and stronger than I did yesterday.

    By the time I hit 31, I am curious to see where my life will be. I don't know if mentally I honestly care to be shredded to the core, but definitely healthier. That's what I'm going for. Healthier.

    I hope that I will one day find a woman who I can share this with, that she can come along this journey with me. But before that happens, I need to be comfortable and confident with myself. And that involves making a lot of changes first and foremost.

    You can't love someone else unless you love yourself first. I've learned that the hard way.

    Hell, you honestly can't attract what you want, especially from a woman, until you put in the effort on your end first.

    Here's to the future. The future of my life, my health, the future of my dating life, and hopefully you reading this, the future of your life, health and dating life as well.

    I want to make my 30s better than my 20s.

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    [Challenge] European Accountability Challenge: December 15th, 2020

    Posted: 14 Dec 2020 10:02 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!

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    Day 1? Starting your weight loss journey on Tuesday, 15 December 2020? Start here!

    Posted: 15 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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    I gained back 15lbs and I hate it and I can't seem to just get back on it- Advice?

    Posted: 14 Dec 2020 07:36 PM PST

    I started losing weight back in 2017, I think, because I was obese and I felt like crap. I had sleep apnea and just wasn't feeling great all around. I managed to get to my lowest weight of 133lbs and had an ultimate goal weight of 125lbs. My highest weight was 200lbs.

    I don't know why it's so hard to get in to losing weight. People are saying I should take a break from the diet mentality if I'm struggling but what also really sucks is wearing pants that no longer fit right. Or looking in the mirror sometimes and seeing how much weight I seemed to have gained. What's funny is no one seems to have noticed or are just being nice about it.

    However, I am scared because I did not lose all my weight in a healthy way. I basically would under eat, over exercise, then binge, rinse and repeat. So no wonder I gained weight when I was no longer able to over exercise. I just feel like a failure and I wanted to weigh 135lbs by November....didn't happen.

    I wouldn't even mind the extra weight if it wasn't fat. I just don't understand why I can't get myself to get it into gear.

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    Im tired of being fat, but I need advice.

    Posted: 15 Dec 2020 02:19 AM PST

    Hiya all! I could use some help. I'm a 5'5 female and I'm at 230lbs. I was at about 170lbs before COVID. I wasn't happy with my weight then and was actually doing alright with calorie counting. I never wanted to be over 200, but let myself go. I have terrible self control and I do nothing but play on my PC for most of the day. I'm tired of being as heavy as I am, but I can't imagine myself being at a healthy weight. I've always been big for my age, so it's very hard to strive for something I can't even imagine. How do I start to lose the weight and really stick with it? Thanks in advance for any advice!

    submitted by /u/Im_Jinx_Durr
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    Excited going forward!

    Posted: 15 Dec 2020 02:15 AM PST

    So, today (Dec. 14) is probably the first day in a long, LONG time that I have eaten under 2,000 calories! Well, it may be a bit over since I don't calculate the coffee I drink. Coffee is the only thing I don't calculate, but it still works out. I only have one cup in the morning and that's it.

    I bought some salad, and the one I bought I can have 4 cups of it for only 20 calories. I'm floored, and shocked. And will definitely be using that going forward to fill me up. Today I stayed within range and still had nachos and hot dogs with turkey chili. Each meal came up *kind* of high, around 800-ish for both. But, I'm still within range of my daily goal.

    I think, for me, what's making this easy is because I finally have control. Eating and food is the ONE thing I have control over. And instead of spiraling out of control further, I'm controlling myself and actually doing something to benefit myself. I'm being very mindful that I don't slip into unhealthy restrictive behaviors (my partner is also supporting me, and he knows what to look for). Because, eating whatever I wanted there was no control. But now I have it, and I'm never letting it get away from me.

    Each day I eat better, the better I feel. And I never want to feel like shit because I eat unhealthy again. I'm going to write down how I feel, and remind myself of this.

    submitted by /u/guesswhogetshealthy
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    Tantrum Tuesday - The Day to Rant!

    Posted: 14 Dec 2020 09:00 PM PST

    I Rant, Therefore I Am

    Well bla-de-da-da! What's making your blood boil? What's under your skin? What's making you see red? What's up in your craw? Let's hear your weight loss related rants!
    The rant post is a /u/bladedada production.

    Please consider saving your next rant for this weekly thread every Tuesday.

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    [tip] [sv] Down from 370 to 300 from July 2020

    Posted: 14 Dec 2020 09:43 AM PST

    I am a 5'11'' 33yrd old male. I have always struggled with my wieght. COVID got me motivated purely because I am afraid of it and am at higher risk with my weight. I have lost a lot of weight before on Keto, and gained it back. As I get older, certain foods don't agree with me and I 'pay' for it later. I think this also helped me with my journey this time. It's not a diet, but a lifestyle change.

    Some things I did:

    Intermittent Fasting. I discovered this while on Keto. I decided to do it again because I like how it makes me feel. I feel more clear-headed, it helps my anxiety. I feel like I have more control. I don't see myself ever not practicing this, for the personal benefits alone outside of weight loss. I do 16/8, eating in the afternoon/early evening. In the morning I drink green tea w/lemon and coffee, water.

    I count my calories in MyFitnessPal. I have counted calories before, done the weight watcher points thing. For some reason, how I viewed this really changed this year. I suddenly felt it was crazy that we measure so much of every other aspect of our lives but what we put into our bodies. We know how much fuel goes into our vehicles, and how much we use. I started to think of it from a data point of view. I don't know that I will ever stop counting calories now, to know what it's going into my body. I guess I enjoy it, which helps. I love my food scale.

    As far as food choices, counting calories will point out those 'expensive' foods. It's crazy how many calories are in things we don't think about. I don't do any diet, I eat what I want. I generally try and be balanced, but honestly, I don't put too much into it outside of making sure it's within my calorie limit. I feel this makes it more 'realistic' and maintainable. A few things about me that help; I can eat the same thing every day, I don't need much variety. I love vegetables. I enjoy cooking but I also recognize I don't always want to cook, and don't frown on prepackaged or processed too much. I like all sorts of meat. I do splurge one day out of the week. I don't always go crazy, sometimes I do. I need one day to eat just whatever to satisfy that part of my mind, and it also serves as a reminder of how I feel when I eat that way and why I choose to eat differently.

    Exercise: So I just started by walking. That's it. I just walked for a half-hour a day. I did get a smartwatch, and it ties into the whole 'data' thing. It seems to help me, seeing my steps, etc. I enjoy walking and I know it's something I won't stop doing, so that's why I chose that. Currently, I also go to the gym and do the elliptical, because for me I like going to the gym. In high school, I was a gym rat, so it's like getting back to how I used to be, just not as extreme. I weight lift a little here and there, I do plan to put more time on the weights because I genuinely want to get/feel stronger.

    So long story short; I make sure to be active for at least a half-hour and I restrict calories For me that has lead to success. In the future, the only change I plan on making is not restricting calories but instead making sure I don't go over what my body needs to stay at the weight I am comfortable with.

    Most of the battle is mental, imo. It can swing both ways; too hard on yourself and being too extreme to giving up. I am an addict in recovery, so I am able to apply a lot of what I've learned to this journey and it's helped. The BIGGEST piece of advice I can offer is to treat any single day as just that. If you fail a certain day, don't give up. Take it one day at a time. The journey is constantly picking yourself back up and getting back on the horse, that is it in a nutshell. You need to find whatever it is to get back on there. The second big thing is to remember the 'parking lot effect'. You won't feel that power, that satisfaction, that happiness in overcoming until you get through whatever it is. If you are dreading exercise, just go do it. Your whole mind frame will change after. And yes, you might have to go through dreading it > forcing yourself to do it > feel better after EVERY.SINGLE.TIME. And forever. But that's what it is, that's your story, that's your journey. That's what defines you. Accept it, it's just another part of your day. Some of us have to practice working out and eating right every day, every moment. There are other parts of your life you don't need to work so hard at that others will envy.

    Please feel to reach out if you want to know more/discuss more. Thanks :)

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