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    Thursday, July 15, 2021

    Weight loss: Today is the 16 year anniversary of the day I reached my goal weight range.

    Weight loss: Today is the 16 year anniversary of the day I reached my goal weight range.


    Today is the 16 year anniversary of the day I reached my goal weight range.

    Posted: 14 Jul 2021 08:45 PM PDT

    I hope sharing my journey helps someone out there. I started at 120kg (about 270lbs) and now I hover over 65kg. A weightloss of 55kg (120lbs). I use the phrase 'goal weight range' as we all hover around a number and it's easier to stay in a range than a specific number.

    I started gaining weight in my early teens when my mother went back to work and felt guilty about it so would get us junk food to make us feel better about her not being there. Looking back, I'd consume around 3000 calories a day and thought nothing of it. When I reached University my weight began to spiral out of control even further. Alcohol and parties and food were consumed uncontrollably. I knew I was fat. But not as fat as I was in reality.

    When I graduated and started working this pattern of self destruction continued. I was depressed and medicated for it. I knew the real reason for the depression but I was too ashamed to admit that I thought I was fat and needed help. I was always the strong one that everyone would look to for support. I didn't want to let anyone know I wasn't happy.

    Whenever, the subject of my weight came up, I'd blame my hormones, endometriosis, slow metabolism. Pretty much everything to brush it aside.

    Just after my 27th birthday, I flew home from living in London to take custody of my 6 day old niece. That next week, while at a doctor's appointment for my kid, my blood pressure was taken and it was super high. The doctor pulled me aside and told me I had to change or if not make 35. This still didn't motivate me to make the changes I needed.

    It wasn't until I needed to buy new business pants that my turning point happened. I was in the changing rooms of a plus size store and the pants split when I bent over. I was mortified.

    From that day for the next year I counted calories (around 1800) and began walking. Between lamp posts at first and then around the block then further each week. I even started jogging.

    By the end of the first year I was down to 65kg and began to train for my first half marathon. It took 18 months but I did it.

    Then for the next 10 years or so I continued to count calories and run. I stayed at 65kg.

    Then I had developed back pain. The discs in my lower back began to bulge and press on my spinal cord. Sending pain signals down my spine. I had to give up running.

    This, plus a hysterectomy for endometriosis, meant that I had to watch what I ate more than ever. Unfortunately, I felt myself slip into bad habits. The old excuses came back.

    I caught myself before I passed my goal weight range. And joined the local HIIT studio. Here I learned to build muscle and to lean on people for support.

    Now I'm in the best shape of my life. There's a little excess skin on my arms and legs. But I'm happy.

    It's possible to be that unicorn. Mindset, determination and a calorie deficit is needed.

    Ask me anything!

    Edit: middle aged and female.

    Edit 2: I eat whatever I want but always stay under 1800-2000. Although 1800 calories of nutritious food is better for training than 1800 calories of 'junk'.

    submitted by /u/Lisadazy
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    Lost 50lbs, and my blood work is the best it's ever been. 40 years old.

    Posted: 14 Jul 2021 07:53 AM PDT

    Need another reason to keep pushing? How about improved vitals?

    I think most of us get caught up mainly on weight and aesthetics goals, but I wanted to share another benefit of improving your diet beyond the weight loss benefits, and that's improved overall health and vitals.

    In the last year, with only minor adjustments to my diet and macros, my triglycerides dropped by 50+%, and I had small but meaningful drops in blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol.

    I refuse to get type 2 diabetes which is preventable, and getting my yearly blood work back has help verify that I am doing the right things for overall health, with weight loss and improved looks just being one of them.

    The numbers:

    Total Cholesterol: 163 (176 last year)

    Triglycerides: 100 (was over 300 two years ago, 234 last year)

    HDL is up to 40 (was low 30s)

    LDL is down to 97 (was 106 last year)

    Glucose is 95 ( was always 100+)

    Keep pushing and making improvements.

    submitted by /u/ChattanoogaMocsFan
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    Im forgiving myself

    Posted: 14 Jul 2021 07:04 PM PDT

    today i logged all my food in the morning and was doing fantastic until dinner. some popcorn turned into a full out binge.

    im not going to cry or beat myself up about it. tomorrow i am going to start fresh. i am not going to carry guilt for long this time, im letting it go right away so i can be free of the cycle. i think the problem in the past is that when I have a binge I carry the guilt for so long that I try to use food to release my negative feelings, but 100% of the time I am left feeling worse. it turns into a really ugly cycle.

    posting in /loseit has helped me gain a little momentum in my goals, and honestly i feel like if i trip and have an episode like this, it's worth sharing with others because everyone fails, and makes mistakes. getting back up is the only way to succeed, so i forgive myself fully. it's back on tomorrow, and I am affirming right now that I will stay on track each day until Sunday.

    submitted by /u/cherrycakesx
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    It's silly but... I miss my boobs

    Posted: 15 Jul 2021 01:07 AM PDT

    I am sorry if this is inappropriate but I just need somewhere to vent. I (31f) lost around 40- 45kg (~90lbs) (110kg/220lbs -> 65kg/130lbs) in the past three years. I love it. My life is incomparable to before and my body has improved in so many ways. I would never want to go back ever. However I used to wear a G-Cup and that has been reduced to a B/C Cup and sometimes I really struggle with that. When I was fat, being the girl with the big boobs was a big part of my identity and it was a little hard to let that go. I had a corset for costumes and I loved that thing. Well I bought one in my new size and when I tried it on there were just no boobs to be found. I am aware that this is stupid. And as I said I would never want to return to my former body but sometimes I really have a hard time coming to terms with this. Especially since I'm heading out to buy a bikini now.

    submitted by /u/letsaddglitter
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    First day of calorie counting was a success!

    Posted: 14 Jul 2021 10:00 PM PDT

    I've always been overweight. Ive tried to diet many times in while i was in high school, and i would lose a few pounds, then binge it all back. Now i'm 6 weeks postpartum, and i finally have a real reason to want to be healthy. pregnancy made me feel a lot better about my body, I drilled it into my head that being fat doesn't make me a bad person, and it wont make me a bad parent. simultaneously, being pregnant gave me new motivation to get healthy, not because i gate the way i look, but because i want to love a long life with my children.

    I think those two revelations have finally put me in a good mental position for healthy, positive weight loss. I cant explain away a binge/quit my diet by simply thinking "well, i'm attractive anyway, i don't need to be skinny." it doesn't matter if i like my body, if my health isn't where i want it to be.

    today was my first day of calorie counting, and it went great! I think i'm mostly posting this to motivate myself to keep doing this good.

    submitted by /u/rotisserieshithead-
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    I'm officially in the normal weight category

    Posted: 14 Jul 2021 08:42 AM PDT

    SW: 166.7

    CW: 148.7

    GW: 140-145

    I (30F) started my weight loss journey just before new years this year. I was spilling out of my jeans and even my baggy shirts were tight and unflattering. I was so unhappy with how I looked in the mirror and I refused to size up and buy a whole new wardrobe. So on the advise of a friend I tried CICO.

    I've learned a lot over the last 6 months about re-feed days and what I can eat to keep me full longer. My diet has seen a huge improvement and I actually enjoy eating healthy foods. I'm down 3" on my waist and thighs and 1" on my arms.

    I'm much happier when I look in the mirror, but like most women, I am still having issues with my stomach. I'm going to a lake for the weekend in 6 weeks and I want to tone my stomach more so I can wear a cute bathing suit and not feel self conscious.

    So my question is, what can I do in 6 weeks to really see some results in my stomach? Or body as a whole as I know I can't target specific areas.

    submitted by /u/jcr5431
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    Food tips from the last time I lost ~25 pounds

    Posted: 14 Jul 2021 11:36 PM PDT

    So the two things that I really really enjoy are salt and sugar. These are obviously not the best thing to eat all the time, and is the cause of my recent 65lb weight gain this past year. But last time I lost weight, I had a really good diet, especially for the snacky foods. I eat between 1200-1500 calories a day (I'm not super strict on myself as long as I run at least a 500-calorie deficit), and eating this way I'm very full and satisfied, even just a couple days out from throwing out the Oreos and potato chips and stopping eating two hamburgers+fries for dinner. Here are some of the things I recommend (and stuff that's already helped lose me about 8 pounds since I started back).

    • Rice cakes! No longer the bland boring plain rice cakes of yesteryear. Quaker now has flavored rice cakes that range from 40-60 calories apiece. Some of my personal favorites include the tomato basil (great to top with other stuff!), chocolate chip (only 60 calories apiece!), butter popcorn, white cheddar, caramel, and the "everything" (like the bagel topping). These really hit the spot for that salty/sweet crunchy craving and even if I "pig out" and eat 3-4 of them (and they're pretty filling and big so I usually have one or two), I'm still not too bad along on total calories.

    • Bleu Cheese/stinky cheeses. look, I love cheese. But stuff like cheddar is not super nutritional and pretty dense in calories, and usually just makes me want more of it after having a reasonable amount. In fact, blocks of cheddar cheese are what started my latest spiral. I've found several brands of bleu cheese that come in cubes, and about 10 cubes comes out to less than 100 calories. And its very satiating and flavorful. I've found that really stinky cheeses hit that spot of craving a ton of flavor and stimulation, while not wanting to eat nearly as much of it. I eat limburger and hooligan too, I really REALLY like stinky cheese.

    • PB2. If you love peanut butter (like I do) this stuff is a LIFESAVER. About 1/4 of the calories for the same amount. I re-constitute mine with skim milk instead of water, it seems to give it a better texture and taste. Sometimes if I have it I use a sweetened milk like almond or coconut (if I don't need to worry about an extra ~50 calories or so, I usually don't sweat it or count calories down to that granular a detail). I love to eat this with apple slices. Also great to mix into shakes and whatnot.

    • Alternative to Halo Top style ice cream: I can't do the sugar alcohols, they give me the shits like no one's business. What you can do instead (and pack a lot of protein), is get greek yogurt and jello pudding mix (regular with more calories, sugar free for less but the aspartame taste, flavor is up to you (including chocolate, strawberry, cookies and cream, etc)). Mix these together until smooth and freeze for a low-calorie and protein-packed sweet frozen treat. I've seen people use this as a cheesecake filling as well but have yet to try it.

    • Cauliflower. Cauliflower is my new tofu/chicken. Toss with some olive oil and seasoning salt and roast for a delicious veggie side. Cook it like buffalo wings in the air fryer. Rice it to make crusts. Treat it like pasta (along with its teammates spaghetti squash and zuchinni noodles).

    • Portabello. I'm from Texas and certainly can appreciate a good steak, but sometimes a grilled portabello with bleu cheese melted on top and some bacon crumbles is just what I needed. Mushrooms are another great meat-alternative and like cauliflower, can be cooked in so many different ways.

    • If you go for actual grains like bread and pasta, go for whole grain options. it's more filling/dense and nutritious from a vitamins/minerals standpoint. Rye bread, whole-grain pasta, brown rice and quinoa, etc. No longer "empty carbs." I think it tastes way better too. White carbs = less flavor.

    • Sweet potatoes. Need I say more? I eat these like a regular baked potato sometimes. I could seriously sub sweet potatoes for any other kind of potato and be happy as a clam.

    • Mass-grilling chicken. About once a month the local stores put their chicken breasts on sale. Like <$1 per pound. We buy it up, as much as we can feasibly fit in our freezer. Fire up the big BBQ pit grill, and grill it all up then freeze it. Perfect to dethaw and eat with some veggies and rice, or shred/slice to add to other recipes (like spaghetti-squash pasta or salads).

    • Bacon and eggs. Seriously this is one of my favorite meals. I eat bacon and eggs at least a few days of the week. The eggs are cooked in different forms: scrambled, hard-boiled, etc. Bacon isn't exactly super-nutritious, but a couple thick slices are usually <100 calories and just really smack in terms of something salty and fatty. Hard boiled egg slices on tomato basil rice cakes with some salsa on top is one of my favorite quick meals. Tons of flavor!

    • Stock up on salad supplies and shake it up. This goes well with the chicken and bleu cheese suggestion from earlier, too. I love a nice spinach salad with some chicken breast, bleu cheese crumbles, strawberries, and a strawberry vinagrette. And portioning dressing is much easier to not over-shoot if you make your salad in a to-go/tupperware box. A tablespoon of dressing will nicely coat the entire thing if you shake it up. No drenched salad puddles or wasted dressing.

    • Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is my secret ingredient and also one of my favorite meals for breakfast. I use it in place of sour cream in baking with sometimes even better results. (My family has a "salmon loaf" recipe that's a can of salmon, a cup of greek yogurt, some crushed corn flakes, and an egg, baked in the oven. Switching from sour cream to greek yogurt almost cut the calories in half). For breakfast, I blend up fresh fruit into it, with maybe a little bit of granola on top. Very very filling; I can go on a cup and a half of greek yogurt for HOURS before I get hungry.

    • Dark chocolate. Sometimes I just really want some chocolate (thanks, uterus). I prefer dark chocolate over milk/sweet, the darker the better. Sea salt mega-dark chocolate is mind-blowing for a treat.

    • Seasonings: Everything Bagel seasoning goes on just about everything. I also really like sesame seeds on salads and whatnot, and celery salt. I have a huge seasoning cabinet for cooking, and experimenting with those can really liven up an otherwise ho-hum dish.

    • The Crockpot. The crockpot is love. The crockpot is life. One of my favorite meals is black eyed peas, beans, or lentils, a ham bone, pinto bean seasoning, a can of diced tomatoes, a bay leaf, and season with onion/garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste.

    • Broths instead of water! Following up on the crockpot tip, I use broths instead of water for soups/stews/crockpot recipes. It adds a negligible amount of calories and a TON more flavor. This is an especially good tip for cooking rice. Also, rinse your rice, beans, and lentils please. That stuff gets really dirty and gross.


    Some sneaky things I avoid:

    • Popcorn. Gauging the calories of a bag of popcorn is difficult; I feel like they intentionally obfuscate the ACTUAL calories/servings in a bag of popcorn (1 serving = 1tsp unpopped at 110 calories, popped is 220 calories, approximately 2.5 servings per bag...). And I can eat a whole bag if I get going, which is actually upwards of 500+ calories. And a handful or two lightly salted isn't really sating to me. I prefer the rice cakes for a similar "hole" in my cravings.

    • Tortillas and wraps. I think a lot of restaurants have convinced us this is the "healthy" alternative to bread. I've experimented with having the same filling ingredients with or without these, and it doesn't change how long I feel full, and adds 150-250 calories per tortilla/wrap (and sometimes I'm having enough filler-food for 2-3 of them like on taco night). In my mental math, the payoff isn't really worth it, because its just a vessel for the good ingredients anyways. So I usually just forego the tortilla/wrap entirely and enjoy the fajita meat or whatever I was gonna put in it. If I still want something carby, I'll go for a small serving of blue corn chips instead, or put it on some brown rice/quinoa and make a Chipotle-style bowl out of it.

    • Jams. Not all jams are created equal. I skip the cheap stuff (smuckers, welch's etc) and get something really good that still has the fruit in it, and use more sparingly because the flavors are a lot more intense. More expensive, but I don't have to pile 2 tablespoons on the same piece of dark bread or stinky cheese to get the flavor I'm looking for, so it evens out.

    • Lunch meats. Now, I eat a decent amount of lunch meat because I'm busy and sometimes rolling up a couple slices of turkey is an out-the-door lunch. But watch the flavoring and sodium. Honey-flavored stuff tends to add a surprising amount of calories (plus the sugar, and makes it all sticky, I actually hate honey-flavored meats). Turkey and chicken are obviously going to be lower in calories than stuff like ham or beef.

    • Nuts. Nuts are nutritious, sure, but very very sneaky with calories and fat. A deceptive snack "serving" of nuts (in what a fat person like me would consider a serving) can be a full meal worth of calories. Trail mix is not intended for a normal person's snack. It's high calorie for people like hikers and mountain bikers. Snack very sparingly.

    submitted by /u/BoneslyGrifter
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    I Blew it on Day 1 .... Or, How I Ended Up in the Drive-thru Again.

    Posted: 14 Jul 2021 02:31 PM PDT

    I blew it on day one.

    I'm cutting strawberries for my son, listening to a podcast, when an idea lands: I want to chronicle my weight loss journey on Reddit. I'm really ready this time. Since my husband was already well on his way to his own weight loss goals, I ask him if he would let me chronicle him as well.

    Sure! Great idea honey.

    My son screams from his highchair, and I realize I'm starving. The two usually go hand-in-hand. I get my son squared away at a meal, but before I can start preparing my own, he's already waving his hands to let me know he's "all done."

    I shouldn't have waited this long to eat lunch. It's almost one o'clock already. I ask my son to wait as I scour the fridge and find nothing quick, easy, and satisfying. My husband is making some kind of beans and rice dish on the stove in a giant pot that will take at least an hour. As he removes my son from the highchair, he suggests I eat a salad.

    Eat a…WHAT?

    The look I give him lets him know that was the wrong thing to say.

    A salad would only suffice if my hunger level was at a 2 or 3, not the full-blown, animalistic 10 I was feeling just then.

    I clean up my son and strap him in the car, screaming a "Don't judge me!" in my wake in case my husband has any additional advice, and I'm off. It shouldn't be easier grabbing take-out than making a small meal at home, but it is. In the car, with my son safely strapped in his carseat, I have time to drive, order my meal, and eat it on the way home in total peace. Wolfing down a sandwich and fries while weaving in-and-out of traffic is far less cumbersome and stressful than eating in the vicinity of my one-year-old son, who grabs at my plate for the sheer joy of making Mommy repeatedly ask him to stop. At least in the car my food won't end up on the floor.

    Well, mostly.

    And this is how I ended up in the Arby's drive-thru on day one. Actually, this is how I end up in a drive-thru 2-3 times per week. It's embarrassing, and a cop-out, and the best I can do sometimes.

    And this is something that will have to stop if I want (and I do, I really do) to lose the weight.

    submitted by /u/MyInnerCulture
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    In regards to eating better (healthy) where do I start?

    Posted: 14 Jul 2021 08:06 PM PDT

    I'm well aware I can still have a slice of pizza and lose weight but I also have PCOS, high cholesterol and am prediabetic (sensitive blood sugar), so I love the victory on the scale of having lost 80 pounds but I didn't do it healthily as I wanted to. I was still eating more of the heavy stuff but giving my body little nutritional value. I don't know where to begin… I am in therapy. I've been looking for a nutritionist I could use a tip of where and how to start small in making improvements towards eating better.

    It's not enough for me anymore to see the number on the scale go down. I want to also witness true change within my health. Thank you !

    submitted by /u/norweigan-wallflower
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    I was a model, now I have a “Mom bod”…I’m scared of what I will look and feel like when I get to my goal.

    Posted: 14 Jul 2021 05:48 PM PDT

    Today I'm starting a very big journey. I just want to post on here to a)hold myself accountable and b) write my story and feelings out. I'm not ultra heavy, but compared to where I used to be, my body has been demolished. I'm ready to reclaim it. When I was 19, I had a pretty solid modeling career going. I was able to make my way through college with it, and I was feeling pretty accomplished. My body looked, well, fantastic. I had it all. Then I became pregnant at 21. I feel like I was hit by a train. My ribcage, and body all over, became wider. I was bigger and heavier. I felt like garbage. I started getting somewhat fit again..then I become ~ woohoo! ~ pregnant once more, just before my 23rd birthday. Now here I am, at 5'10 and 175lb. C-section pouch and all. I'm honestly terrified of what I will look like, knowing it will never be quite the same…knowing I may always look unalike myself, knowing I may have to simply come to terms. This may be a beautiful way to fully learn self acceptance. I have been scared to try being perfectly skinny and fit again because, well, I'm scared I won't look as good. I have a solid 45 lb to lose at least. It's terrifying.

    When I was modeling and at my thinnest, I thought I never looked right , I was constantly instructed to lose and gain, tone different areas. It was probably mentally and physically a bit of a "trauma" (for lack of a better term) now that I look back on it, so maybe that's why I feel so awful. I looked incredible then, I never imagined being where I am today…

    I'm 24, my husband is 47. Recently in a sleep deprivation induced argument, he told me he has never met anyone so insecure. He is right. People always make jokes about our age, his friends act like he is lucky. I feel that this couldn't be further from the truth. I feel like I'm a huge disappointment to him. I'm younger but so what, I look like garbage. I feel so inferior. His body is so gorgeous, he is twice my age but he looks like a God, I look like a bowl of pudding. He is breathtaking and I feel like nothing next to him. He gently reminds me that I can't see what he sees, he tells me that I'm beautiful. I wish I could believe that. So, I am READY. I am ready to feel good. I want to feel confident in my own skin again!

    submitted by /u/blondeanonnurse
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    Progress-M/29/5’11 [274>210 in 1.5 years] fluffy powerlifter to not so fluffy

    Posted: 14 Jul 2021 05:11 AM PDT

    I compete in powerlifting for 7 years, and ate like crazy to gain weight, eventually topping out at 274lbs. While it was the strongest I've ever been, I was also very uncomfortable, my sleep was poor, and frankly it was the most unhealthy I had ever been. I eventually got burnt out from powerlifting and knew I wanted to lose weight. From April 2020-July 2020, I dropped from 274 to 224, mainly through diet manipulation. At the time, I was training 5 days a week, doing daily walks, and tracking all of my food through MyFitnessPal. I started with my calories at ~4000 calories, and slowly pulled my calories out over the course of a 19 week cut. I pulled calories from fats first, then carbs (I carb cycled for the middle 6 weeks), and kept protein at ~260g per day.

    After the end of my cut, I bulked back up to 249, but significantly leaner than I had ever been at that point. Training was now a 6 day split (PPLx2). I was relatively clean with my food, but mainly just focussed on increasing calories while still keeping protein high.

    March 1, 2021, I started my second cutting phase. Similarly started with higher calories at 3600, and pulled them out slowly, fats first, then carbs. The last 6 weeks I had sub 200" calories (280g protein, 100g carbs, 50g fat) with a refeed every 7 days of about 1000-1200 g of carbs. I did that until I reached ~9% bf. That was the end of my cut (my after pictures). I also did one or two 30min walks every day, maintained my PPLx2 split, and occasionally added some additional cardio in. Training is ALWAYS the big focus for me, and pushing training performance and intensity is a must, even in a cut.

    I also started to take a bigger look at gut health, eating foods that didn't bloat me, adding digestive aids for big meals, and making sure I was not eating in a way that was harmful to my long term goals. This is something I'll continue as I embark on my next massing phase.

    The next goal is to keep putting muscle on, and cutting down to lower bodyfat each time with hopefully more muscle. before/after

    submitted by /u/squatsandcoffee4
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    Finally in Onderland

    Posted: 14 Jul 2021 07:17 AM PDT

    Hi Loseit crew

    It is finally my turn to declare that I am in Onderland. I am comfortably in Onderland.

    I have logged my food each day in MyFitnessPal for 142 days. I have lost 32 pounds. I never thought I would make it this far because I have Hashimotos.

    I am eating at a 500 calorie deficit. Some days I eat a bit more, some days I eat a bit less. I have taken a 2 week diet break (ate at maintenance) over my birthday and holiday at the end of May.

    My clothes fit lots better, I have even brought some smaller sizes (UK16) I have more energy and I am a lot less sweaty when walking, doing housework, gardening work etc...

    I just wanted to brag and also say thank you to this amazing Reddit community. You are part of my weight loss journey and I have enjoyed reading and commenting on all your amazing posts.

    We can do this!!!

    submitted by /u/trayrope
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    30 Day Accountability Challenge - Day 14

    Posted: 14 Jul 2021 06:13 PM PDT

    Hello lovely losers,

    Wooooooooo we're almost half where there wooooooo.

    Weigh in daily, enter in Libra & remove moral judgement/stigma/shame directed at yourself about it: Logged this morning. Progress over perfection. Better.

    1800 calories (tracking in 5-day cycles, Friday/Saturday at maintenance): On it. Very full of peaches today, no regrets.

    Exercise 5 days a week: 30 minute lunch walk, slight spring & batting cages after work. BTW kids, take yourself to a batting cage for fun sometime if you can. Worth the token money. 12/14 days.

    Alone time to word vomit into journal: Gonna hit this up before bed.

    Todays gratitude list: Today I'm grateful for batting cages, the bunny I saw after a very excited child pointed it out from a balcony & the people I work with.

    Expressing gratitude: Nailed it last night. Will hit it up tonight again.

    How are you all doing this fine day? Tell us all about it. I haven't had as much time to respond to y'all but I read every comment & cheer you on like a lame parent in the little league bleachers.

    submitted by /u/Mountainlioness404d
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    The importance of NEAT

    Posted: 14 Jul 2021 03:12 PM PDT

    If you're anything like me, you had no idea what the hell NEAT was until you began getting serious about losing weight. For those of you who are still unfamiliar, NEAT stands for non-exercise activity thermogenesis. That's basically a fancy way of saying calories you burn through activity and movements that are more or less done subconsciously (fidgeting, pacing, etc.) as opposed to more structured forms of cardio.

    As a child and teenager, my diet consisted almost entirely of Doritos, sugary cereal, Pop-tarts, Oreos, Mountain Dew, and fast food. I would go through more about 4 family-sized bags of Doritos per week and around 2 liters of Mountain Dew per day. In addition to that, my family and I would eat fast food at least 2 or 3 times per week. The only vegetable I had eaten by the time I was well into adulthood was potatoes. Even that was only in the form of French fries. Everywhere I went, I was carrying my Mountain Dew and had my emergency supply of Doritos nearby at all times. I was looking through some old pictures the other day and there was a bag of Doritos present somewhere in almost every single one. It got to the point where I was playing where is Waldo trying to spot the Doritos in each picture.

    The amazing thing is, despite eating this way for well over a decade, the maximum weight I reached was around 230 pounds at 5'8". I'm actually not actually sure what's more shocking: my max weight, the fact that I don't (currently) have any conditions associated with my horrible diet, or the fact that I still have all my teeth. I came to the realization that the reason I never exceeded 230 was likely due to having very high levels of NEAT. I was, and still am, a very introspective person. I would spend most of my days living in the fantasy world created in my mind. While I was introspecting, I was pacing back and forth. This would go on for hours at a time sometimes, and it was every single day. When I was sitting "still", I was constantly shaking my legs or somehow staying in motion. I'm not sure I ever really stopped moving during my waking hours.

    I mentioned on here the other day that I get around 25-30k steps per day now. I get the impression that people see this as excessive exercise, but honestly, most of those steps are just the result of my normal NEAT. Once I was into adulthood, I decided it was time to change my eating habits if I wanted any hope of avoiding almost certain chronic health conditions. Once I started eating healthy, the pounds just fell off. I'm now well within the normal weight range for my height, and I don't plan on ever getting back to the way I was. I feel like a big part of my weight loss can be attributed to my very high NEAT levels.

    For those of you who enjoy introspecting or listening to music/podcasts/audiobooks, I would highly recommend that you do such activities while in motion if at all possible. You would be amazed at just how many steps you can unconsciously accrue during that time and all with a minimal amount of effort.

    TL;DR: I believe non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) can play a much larger role than people think in weight loss.

    submitted by /u/sapphireskyz
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    Male weight loss vs female weight loss (pcos)

    Posted: 14 Jul 2021 11:53 PM PDT

    My husband and I have been married for 6 years and we have gained alot of weight together. Recently I was diagnosed with pcos and we decided to get healthy together. So we made some major lifestyle changes in the food department. Eating mostly whole foods, no dairy or gluten drinking more water ect. I have lost 10 lbs in the last 3 months and my husband has lost 23 lbs. I know our bodies process things differently but I thought I was making better progress and can't help but be discouraged with myself. I'm extremely happy for my husband and my progress so far and it definitely is a start but has anyone else experienced this with their partner. How did you deal with it and how did you continue to keep each other motivated while one was progressing more than the other.

    submitted by /u/WovenAesthetic
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    [Challenge] European Accountability Challenge: July 15th, 2021

    Posted: 14 Jul 2021 11:32 PM PDT

    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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    A stressful situation has finally pushed me towards health TW: Illness and death of a loved one

    Posted: 14 Jul 2021 04:00 PM PDT

    Hi everyone, I'm Bauerist and I'm 27 years old. I'm going through a lot right now, as my grandmother experienced a stroke due to a burst aneurysm in her brain earlier tonight. It's her second stroke in 16 months, and it's not looking great (she's 73). My other grandmother died from a stroke last year, and my grandfather has had a TIA in the last year as well. Strokes aren't that uncommon as you get older, but tonight has really made me think about my own health and mortality and I've realised I've got to make a change or it might be me being rolled out on a stretcher in the future.

    Tonight I weighed myself for the first time in a very long time and the scales clocked in at 113.4kg. With my 169cm that puts me dangerously close to a BMI of 40. I'm writing this to give myself a starting point, and something to go back to when things get rough along the way.

    I'm not new to weight loss, and I've been on and off the wagon countless times, I've used all the excuses in the book to justify falling, and I've given up over and over again. But I'd like to think my motivation is a bit different this time. This time I'm not doing it because I might want children some day, or because I want to look good in a certain type of clothes, or because people of my future profession are expected to look a certain way. This time I'm doing it to give myself the best chance to live a long and healthy life. I'm doing it for myself. I don't want to keep slowly killing myself.

    I may be rambling by now, so to get back to the point. Tomorrow is my first day, and I'm going to make small, sustainable changes. I'm downloading a calorie tracker tonight, and tomorrow I'm taking my starting measurements and photos for future reference.

    Maybe this horrible series of events will actually save my life.

    So, day one:

    • 27F
    • Location: SWE
    • Height: 5'7" / 169 cm
    • SW: 250lbs / 113.4kg
    • GW: 140lbs / 63kg
    • Weaknesses: Chocolate, and sugar in general
    • Strengths: I don't trust motivation or inspiration to get me anywhere, discipline is where it's at.

    PS: Thanks for being such a wonderful community <3

    submitted by /u/Bauerist
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    I have begun my quest to lose 20-30 pounds and appreciate any advice going forward!

    Posted: 15 Jul 2021 01:28 AM PDT

    I am 6'2" 205lbs currently, I was 225 at my peak (and an alcoholic) over a year ago. I got serious about dieting 5 days ago, for the first 3 days I only had 1K calories but was getting stoned at night and would eat like another 1K lol. So I'm 2 days off the ganja, and have had 2 days right around the ~1,000 calorie range. I am aware that this is low but it's not necessarily unhealthy right? I'm not tracking macros specifically but one 200 calorie protein shake (Premier Protein) has 30g of protein. That is my main concern, muscle loss. Once I thin to a level I'm happy with I'll start eating and lifting weights again.

    I'm pretty food-conscious, always have been. I don't have access to a kitchen right now so my diet primarily consists of Kind bars, beef jerky and vitamins.

    submitted by /u/Anonymousandluvvinit
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    New job

    Posted: 14 Jul 2021 11:37 PM PDT

    Hi I recently got a new job (Job is basically a labor) I'm doing hard physical labor burning roughly 2500-3000 calories a day, I assume I'm going to lose weight in the process currently 300lbs, 320 when I started was wondering a healthy way to make sure I don't have mass excessive skin if I do lose a ton of weight was wondering good diets to follow while losing and burning this amount of calories, I was thinking of incorporating the gym maybe 3x a week (fairly hard considering I'm working 12 hours a day lifting a 50lb item 800 times a day from feet left to head high.) I believe the weight will come off on it's on but I'd like a smooth progression if possible.

    submitted by /u/crewcifix
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    Starting points with exercise anxiety

    Posted: 14 Jul 2021 09:06 PM PDT

    Hi all, new to reddit not really sure what im doing lol... im just after advice if possible... I'm 21, with a potential surgical situation in the near future i want to make sure im as healthy as i can be for this, currently sitting at around 230lb, im looking to drop at least 50. But thats a long term goal, any progress at all is going to be a significant help. Issue is, i have crippling anxiety, gyms and public exercise such as swimming or running arent an option, at least to begin. I hope someday they will be as i work through my issues.

    I am asthmatic, and have fibromyalgia which have both been contributing factors to previous failures because i didnt know how to start slow, and often have days of weakness where its hard to keep up with exercise routines.

    I wonder if anyone here has some tips, something small i can start with and begin working up. I know next to nothing about what is a good starting point. Healthy eating habits has already been a huge help and already down 8lbs over a few months, just eager to take the next steps physically and form some healthy routines to build upon.

    submitted by /u/This-Income8095
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    I'm not calling this my Day 1. I'm just trying to make a small change today.

    Posted: 14 Jul 2021 08:05 PM PDT

    Hello everyone! I have been on this sub for a few years now, and at one point I was down 30lbs. And then grad school started and I quickly found myself falling into old habits and brain patterns. And now I've gained 20lbs back. And now that grad school has been a thing for a year now, I feel ready to make some changes in my physical and mental health. Back in February, I knew I needed to make a change and I joined a CrossFit gym. I know it isn't for everyone, but that was a small change that I was willing to make and commit to, and I LOVE IT. But the old saying is true... weight loss happens almost exclusively in the kitchen. The workouts have gotten a tad easier as I've gotten stronger, but I haven't lost any weight and I imagine the workouts will become even more easier if I can drop some poundage (5'7" 26F 235lbs). So, I'm ready to make another change now that it's been 6 months!

    Today, I am going to the store and I'm buying my normal things. And the small change I am committing to today is tracking my intake. Developing a system of tracking that works for me, noticing when and why I overeat, and gathering data over the next few weeks will hopefully give me a good starting point. And then, once I become comfortable with tracking and feel ready to make another small change, I'll do it!

    I'm trying to get small wins under my belt so that when my brain wants to convince me that I'm failing yet again, I have some data points that say otherwise! Much love and empathy to this community. I feel grateful to have found you all and look forward to the times ahead!

    submitted by /u/WhaleSaviour
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    5'7F/35/SW 167/ GW 145/ CW 164 and about to throw in the towel.

    Posted: 14 Jul 2021 07:19 PM PDT

    TLDR: I've been with a coach for almost 4 months, only 3lbs lost. I weigh all food by grams, lift/train 4x week, get 8-10k steps a day, 8-10 hrs sleep a night, drink water, coach initially set macros at 134p, 155c, 54f (1642kcals), currently at 100p, 167c, 54f (1554kcals) because of a breakdown 3 weeks ago. I meet this spot on 95%+ of the time.

    Long story - I've always struggled to be the size I want. I've had four babies, and finished the 4th pregnancy 3 lbs above my prepregnancy weight at 151. I still wanted change, so that's when I found Macros and heavy lifting (almost 3 yrs ago). I saw some great measurement changes but the scale didn't budge. Sure, whatever, until the old habits of only caring what the scale said made me determined to lose that last 3 - which is when I entered unsustainable habits. I became lax and gained a couple lbs. Then I got Lyme's disease (2 years ago) and gained 25 lbs. I topped off at 175 when we finally found out what was wrong. I successfully got down to 163 with macros and exercise.

    Then COVID happened and I bounced up and down between 163 and 167 all year, until April I just had enough and hired a nutrition macros coach. She put me on macros listed above. I slowly lost 3 lbs but it stopped after about 5 weeks. And nothing since. Nothing. I hit my macros spot on almost every single day. I have only gone over my deficit calories a handful of times. I weigh everything I eat by grams, exercise, get 8-10k steps a day, drink my water, sleep at night. I had a full blown anxiety attack a few weeks ago and my coach and I decided to drop my protein to a more sustainable level for me and I have a lot more energy. Then about a week or so ago we dropped my calories by 100 for the first 2-3 weeks of my cycle and will put them back up during the last week when I get crazy ravenous.

    I know I have some wonderful muscle under all this fluff. I have been lifting progressive overload consistently 4x a week for over a year. My weight is going up, so I am gaining strength. But the past four months are breaking me. I am not near what I want to be at and I know that losing fat and weight is how I will get to where I want. I just feel like my body hates me. It doesn't want me to get where I want. It won't listen to science and what is supposed to work. And I'm not willing to do unsustainable or unhealthy things to get there. My emotional and mental health needs food to function.

    I don't know exactly why I'm posting other than maybe ideas? Encouragement? Similar stories? Motivation not the give up? I'm just so frustrated and disheartened.

    submitted by /u/LemonySweets
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    Just moved to my dream city, not doing bad, not doing good.

    Posted: 14 Jul 2021 06:25 PM PDT

    Hey everyone! I (21f) just moved to my DREAM city alone to start law school next month. I moved a month early so I can explore and do whatever I want.

    Wellllllll in between moving across the country and exploring a whole new major city (DC), I haven't been doing the best.

    Last month I did a personal challenge of working out (burn 600 cals a day) every single day. My net calories were around 600-900 (an actual intake of 1200-1500).

    I moved July 1st, and I've ate out often (fairly healthy like raw fish, Thai food 4x already lol) + I have been cooking lately and if I eat out it's dinner and never fast food or anything disgusting. Plus I walk EVERYWHERE and burn about (700-800 cals a day walking) but not working out at the gym.

    What sets me off and is making me feel INSANE is that right now I am eating a slice of cheesecake from the CF (1200 cals). I'm at 1k cals meaning if I ate the whole thing (which I'm gonna be honest I most likely will) will be at 2.2k cals plus I walked about 3-4 miles today. I just feel untoned and like I'm not doing well but also not terrible. * I don't have a scale yet here.

    Any advice, words of encouragement or tough love? I want to do all my walking + workout at the gym (I did it once this week and burned 1k+ cals for workouts alone).

    submitted by /u/ThinHumor
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    Day 1? Starting your weight loss journey on Thursday, 15 July 2021? Start here!

    Posted: 14 Jul 2021 09:31 PM PDT

    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.

    * Lose It Compendium - Frame it out!

    * FAQ - Answers to our most Frequently Asked Questions!

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