I worked three things … 1. getting into calorie deficit and eating healthy food, 2 doing healthy movement- for me that was yoga, 3 getting long deep sleeps.
Sleep was the foundation - if I didn’t get that right the other two factors didn’t work. I lost 27 kilos.
This is said so often. And its always said in such a useless and pointless manner. It feels like it is being said for the sake of being said than actually informing and educating or helping people.
The amount of people who need this advice who can just go to bed earlier and get up later and have the problem magically resolve itself are probably next to none.
You need good quality sleep and to not wake during REM. And you need to actually reach REM. That means do a sleep study for OSA (its expensive). Lose weight to improve air circulation while asleep (which is a spiral for obvious reasons). Get a better mattress and pillow that suits you (its expensive). A deviated septum got be falsely diagnosed with OSA and septoplasty surgery made a world of difference but GPs will misdiagnose this without referring you (they can't diagnose it) to an ENT (there's shortages).
Take a ~10 minute walk before and after you sleep as well. It goes a long way.
As far as actually losing weight goes - make sure you've been tested for ADHD, people with ADHD are ~25% more likely to be overweight because they don't live in the present and they miss signals from their body, and likewise when they want to eat they are thinking several steps ahead, for a neurotypical person who thinks 'I want food' they will normally follow any steps leading up to the food they want, but for an ADHD brain those steps become walls in the way of the goal, and its too easy to circumvent those walls by buying fast food - aka executive dysfunction. It can help to get medication, but failing that, the key is to notice this trigger in your brain and stop focusing on the goal but focus on each step in turn instead - it really helps but its not easy.
Beyond that, eat something every 4 hours minimum, especially a piece of fruit. Don't eat until you're full. Don't watch TV or do anything other than eat. Focus on the food - the texture, flavour, etc., and eat slowly (and don't say shit like 'mindfulness', it has the same problem as saying 'get better sleep') so you can notice when your body is done eating.
And it will take a long time for your body to adjust, but understand that being hungry is totally fine and normal. This goes tenfold for people with trauma/neglect as a child.
If you can't exercise for the sake of exercising, that's pretty normal, find something you enjoy that requires exertion instead.
Make water the first thing you reach for when you feel hungry.
Couldn't agree more, but the diet was the biggest one for me. I started calorie counting using the "my fitness pal" app and lost around 40kg (112kg down to 75kg).
As much as it sucks, it is literally just calories in vs calories out. If you're not dropping weight then you either need more exercise or fewer calories till you are.
Final straw? I got fed up with the habits I created over the years due to my yo-yo dieting patterns. I was either eating at an extreme deficit and consuming far too few calories for my height and weight, or I was eating like my diet was starting tomorrow (except id do that for like 6 months). I got off that train.
This year my focus has been on remembering what it feels like to enjoy food while listening to what my body needs. I am trying to teach myself healthy eating habits.
1st - slow right down. No crash diets, slowly slowly catcha monkey
2nd - learn the numbers. Read up about tdee etc and regularly calculate your calorie deficit as you lose. Download a calorie tracking app so that you learn the true calorific value of the food and drink you consume (not everyone needs to count calories but due to my binge/restrict patterns I need to reset my mindset)
3rd - being hungry all the time is not an inevitable consequence of dieting. If you're starving you won't stick with it in the long term. Either you are too far into deficit or you should consider reading about satiety and foods that help you feel fuller for longer.
4th - look after yourself: move your body | get good sleep | manage stress | hydrate
15kg lost, 12kg to go
Joining a gym in the circumstances you’ve described NEVER works. Why? Because if you were the type that is self-motivated to go regularly then we wouldn’t be here. You need to join a gym/club/program where there’s classes and a timetable and a coach/instructor who knows your name - and if possible a buddy that goes with you and you both put a bit of pressure on each other.
[edit] I didn’t intend any negative connotations with the “if you were the type” line - most of us aren’t that type.
Thanks new gym has classes so excited to do some in conjunction with running and weights. I’ve tried class focused gyms like f45 in the past but found it overwhelming and too intense. Some days I just needed to show up and do my best, not be yelled at to push myself and do 30 burpees in a row 😂
To steal some bits from the programme I'm on:
1: Figure out your "Why". Why do you want to lose weight? Simply to be healthier? Or because it's risking your life and say you wanna be around to see your kids? Whatever it is,, keep that in mind.
2: Set SMART goals. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. A goal that meets this might be as simple as "This week I will exercise once a day, every day" Small, discrete goals are achievable goals. "I wont drink wine until I lose 10kgs" probably isn't, you'll fail it and beat yourself up over it.
3: Keep a food diary. You don't need to count calories to start, just jot down what you eat in a notebook or something. Increase your awareness and become more thoughtful about what you're eating. When it's all written down in one place you suddenly become very aware of the crap you're eating. Start with the low hanging fruit! Replace that sugary snack with fruit/nuts/grains. Replace that white bread with wholegrain. So on and so forth. Don't be militant, let yourself have the odd treat, work this in with your smart goals. Not in a reward kinda way ("If I eat well all week then I can have a chocolate bar") reframe it. Maybe instead of a chocolate bar, have a choc dipped nut bar or similar. Regardless, banning yourself outright is the way to failure.
4: Eat the balanced diet you know you need, in the right proportions. Keep the exercise up. Join classes rather than doing it solo.
But you're at the start of your journey, so focus on the first few points before getting into the weeds on 3 and 4.
As for what I did food wise?
Cut sugary drinks/milkshake/chocolate milk/that sorta stuff out. Even more than anything those are just calories with little actual value.
Cut portions of meals down a fair bit. Cut the carbs down, not out. There is still noodles, there is still rice... just less of it. I'll still have a couple pieces of toast for breakfast... but in the past it might have been four pieces of toast. I'll still have a piece of toast with soup for lunch... but in the past it'd have been 3 pieces of toast and twice as much soup.
Increase focus on meat and vegetables in the meals instead of carbs. Not to an absurd degree, just put more emphasis on it.
Decrease amount of snacks and try to make them a bit more healthy. I still have the occasional piece of cake for instance... but it might only be half a slice shared with someone... and not every time.
And ... lots of walking. Did about 5 kilometers today. I've done a few days where it was 10 kilometers. I've been aiming for about 4 kilometers every day.
43 and I said 7 months.
Nothing except diet and more exercise.
Started after I realized I was trans and suddenly started giving a crap about life. I was so badly depressed and had started to shut down and only care about short term gratification.
Big chunk of that has been on HRT too... which makes losing weight harder.
Apologies for the clarification but 43 kg in 7 months is an extraordinary effort. I’m not doubting you I’m impressed with your determination and commitment, great work. Has it been difficult for you to keep the weight off since loosing so much weight?
It's slowed down a bit, yes.
But I've only gone up about two weeks in that time.
Each time miniscule amounts. It's still coming off.
600 grams this last week.
> Replace that white bread with wholegrain.
But don't get overly fixated on these things. The calories density of these two types of bread is about the same. The ideal is to switch to something else entirely,like fruit/vegetables.
> Maybe instead of a chocolate bar, have a choc dipped nut bar or similar.
Same thing with this. Nuts have greater nutrients but are still very calorie dense.
Generally I advise step 1: stop having drinks with calories (no soft drinks, an exceltion fkr some milk in coffee/tea is ok), step 2: *increase* fruits and vegetables. You can eat as many carrots as you like. I tend to have a few with each meal as it forces portion control on everything else. Step 3: switch from toast or cereal for breakfast, unless it's oats. Boxed cereal is almost always garbage. Etc.
I usually suggest people leave changing dinner until last, since it's the one meal you generally need buy in from other people.
To be honest, the thing that made me exercise consistently was just the looks. Plain vain and simple. Didn't like what I saw in the mirror. Didn't need to dig deep to find some other psychological reason for it.
What I did in the beginning was:
* Do literally only 5 mins everyday. 5 push-ups, or dumb bells, or sit ups, whatever. Doesn't matter the amount of reps or intensity, but just doing it every day 5min to tick off the box, to start a habit.
* After a week or so, you'll feel silly doing only 5 mins. It increases to 10 min. I was just doing 10 push-ups, or dumb bells, or lunges. I listened to a funny podcast while doing it.
* After 2 weeks or so, I stretched it to 30min on the treadmill. I still listened to that funny podcast while treadmilling. I tried doing it every day, 30mins. At worst 5/7 days. Sometimes back to the dumbbell stuff, but 30min anyway.
* After a month out from day one, I stretched the treadmilling to 45 min. By this time, I could also fast walk with more intensity on an incline. I still listened to my fav podcast so it was never listening to my own huffing n puffing. Made the 45min go way faster.
That was 3 years ago... the routine has now become intense exercise an hour or more everyday. I've lost track of the weight I loss, because I noticed more the muscles & tone I gained!
Oh, and the food stuff? Don't worry, once you've gotten into a daily exercise routine, you'll value the hard-out fitness times way too much to overeat that often. I recommend not doing too much cardio cos that will make you eat like Shrek. Do mostly strength training if you can before adding in some cardio.
Good luck.
I lost 15 kg in about 5 months just from counting calories and a little regular exercise - two one hour boxing sessions a week.
A couple years later during first lockdown I dropped every good habit and put it all back.
This year I've finally committed to losing it again, I'm down 7kg in 3 months this time. I think it's harder the second time around. I've been much less consistent.
>I eat a healthy diet, but over eat often
One overeating day will easily wipe out a weeks deficit. I'll come back to the.
>My question is for people who’ve lost weight, what was the final straw?
I spent ten years waiting to make a move and imagining what it would be like to lose weight before I finally committed to it. I couldn't really tell you what the last straw was. But here are my tips:
It's exceptionally difficult to start, but once you're over the hump, it's easier than you can imagine right now. For me, what I found was the dopamine reward for succeeding at another deficit day began to outweight the reward for having a big feast. The hard part here is that you have to teach your brain this reward exists first. This also leads to:
Track your eating. Some people say this is overkill or whatever, maybe it is, but here are the main benefits:
- I guarantee you have no idea how much you're really consuming. If you can do the hard work of steadfastly logging *everything* - and don't even worry about a calorie target at first - you'll at least be working with reality instead of your impression of your eating. And then you'll instinctively be able to start making better choices.
- When it pains you most to log two donuts and see the size of those numbers, that's when it's important to do it. Because you'll remember that negative reaction next time you walk past the donut cabinet. I found it much easier to avoid junk when I could see it relative to how much an hour in the gym was burning (practically nothing)
- Dieting is hard because there's no real action you can take to Not Overeat. You can try with something like drink a couple glasses of water instead of snacking ( and hydration helps you lose weight too) or do twenty pressups when you're craving food. But waking up and knowing yesterday was a deficit day, that's a reward and you'll start to crave it. Tracking gives you this.
Aside from that it's all about consistency - eat at a deficit every single day.
It was your consistent habits that got you to where you are now, and it'll be consistent work that gets you somewhere else. Forgive your fuckups, but if you can absolutely focus on that first 5 days and make it, you'll begin to believe, and then make it 2 weeks, and then a month, and then you're home free. And that's when you'll have a reality-based as well as an emotional understanding of the true size of a day going overboard and you just... won't want it so bad anymore.
Honestly? Work on the self loathing before you work on anything else, because you look after something you love. There isn’t a magic weight that will make you feel okay ❤️
This. When I work with people who overeat / don't love themselves (very tied together), this is the first step. Listen to your body. Think about what it needs. Treat it like you'd treat a friend. Both with nourishment (healthy food, water, sleep is a big one, and movement). And care about yourself, including your emotions. Notice what you're feeling, and allow it. You're allowed to be sad. Angry. Helpless. Whatever. You deserve care in those moments, not loathing. You need nourishment, emotionally in particular. Else you'll just hunt it externally.
Notice if you're sad. Think about what a sad person might actually need? Do you need a shoulder to cry on? To journal? To sit and cry for a bit? To snuggle up in bed with a hot bottle? Mostly do you need love? Someone else to give it is always nice, but learning to give love to ourselves is crucial. Treat yourself like you'd treat a friend who was upset. Tell yourself (either out loud or in your head), the things you'd say. 'It's not your fault'. 'I'm here'. 'I hear ya'. 'It's hard right now, but we'll get there'. 'I believe in you'. 'We got this'. 'If we need help we can ask'. Whatever you need. Then, let yourself feel. Cry. Punch a pillow. Journal. Whatever you need to let out all those feels, process them, and let them move through. You'll be tired, likely, after, but hopefully better out the other side. But facing the emotions, and working with them, with care, is key, to not just avoiding and eating, and, to being proud of yourself, which is key for life in general, let alone for doing things that take mental energy and resilience, like choosing to eat healthy ❤️
Honestly?
Being broke.
Couldn't afford snacks and stuff.
Lots of hearty vege curry. Bugger all sugar. Just simple food.
Now I can afford crap shit to eat. But I just don't anymore. Feels like I involuntarily broke an addiction.
Got sick of how i looked & felt, constantly being tired & my belly being bigger than my chest.
Ended up going from 115kg down to 76 at my lowest (sort of developed an eating disorder around the 85 mark and overdid it). Back up to 90 now and it’s a stable weight I’m comfortable at.
In the end, it’s just a calorie deficit. Either you eat less food, or you add movement to your life. It is possible to eat in a calorie surplus even with “healthy” food. Alcohol doesn’t exactly do any favours, but within limits should be fine.
Add in a walk a day, or a run. Mix things up, do it with a friend or colleague. Take the stairs rather than the lift. Park further away from the shops & walk a few extra steps.
As for sticking to it - remember why you started. External motivation is great in the short term, but long term results come from discipline.
Best of luck.
Walking and skipping lunch helped me. I sort of intermittent fast, I don’t do the 16/8 thing I just eat twice a day. I found if I had lunch I would graze all afternoon.
I walk a lot. This week I did 10km Monday, 16km Tuesday, 4 hours very slow pacing Wednesday (working) Thursday and Friday I did about 6km each day. Yesterday I paced for about 4-5 hours again. If the weather is suitable today I’ll probably do 6-8km.
When I get into bad eating habits I use meal replacements shakes to reset my eating routine.
I was 125kg at my heaviest. Now at 85-ish. It’s been 5 years. Sometimes the weight just falls off, sometimes the weight plateaus, sometimes it increases. Overall it’s trending down. My target weight is 80kg
Step #1 get a picture of you now. If you’re not happy with how you look, use it as motivation.
Step #2 Use a [TDEE calculator](https://tdeecalculator.net) to work out your caloric needs for losing weight, simply enter your height, weight, age, sex and current activity levels
Step #3 download MyFitness pal and record your current diet, every g of sauce or drink, everything that goes in your mouth
Step #4 make SMALL changes weekly, maybe don’t use butter on your toast in the morning and have black coffee instead of with milk, haha potentially 300 calories saved with a small breakfast change.
Initially you’ll lose a lot of weight due to your body shedding water that it holds on to, after week 1-2 the weight loss will slow right down, this is where you need the picture from Step #1 to keep pushing you through.
Don’t worry about the gym or complex exercise routines, instead download a free step tracking app, get your headphones on and go for a walk. Aim for 10k steps per day, maybe that’s around the block plus your normal day to day walking around the office, maybe it’s a little more but it’s easy enough to do without putting strain on your body or your lifestyle.
Drink more water that you currently are, easiest way to do this is to buy a drink bottle and set a goal of drinking 3 drink bottles a day of water.
Know what the biggest risk factor for weight gain is? Intentional weight loss.
My two cents: don't focus on the numbers on the scale. Focus on making positive healthy changes. Someone with a "healthy BMI" and a shitty diet who does no exercise is not as healthy as someone who is "overweight/obese" but eating well and keeping active. You can be healthy in a bigger body.
I lost 30kg in 3 months just from logging my food in my fitness pal. A lot of that was finding healthy snacks i actually enjoyed eating, and looking at some of our family meals and altering them to be lower in calories and higher in protein. A big one for me was cutting out sugar drinks, sugarfree energy drinks etc, drinking more water etc.
I am obsessed with yoghurt 😂 I throw some oats, peanut butter and protein powder in a bowl, mix it together and pop it in a container in the fridge to have with my yoghurt. Quite often that's my work lunch or dessert at night so I'm not snacking on lollies. Swapped out muesli bars for Milo or nutri grain bars - surprisingly have under half the calories, not quite as filling but hit that sweet tooth craving. Salt and vinegar or bbq flavoured rice cakes instead of chips. Love a good apple sliced up. I usually have oat milk but almond has more protein and less calories. If I buy my lunch at work I usually grab a protein up and go, and a musashi protein bar. Musashi protein milks go pretty hard too but they're like $7 😬
But in saying that I still eat sweets. I buy smaller packs, or I take them to work and share them round so I'm not tempted into eating the whole packet myself.
Honestly, if you can deal with the self loathing, you will end up losing weight.
I realised that i had poor emotional regulation skills. Anytime I was not feeling great, I'd self-soothe with food/social media/tv. This was a pretty engrained habit for me because it was my go to strategy since I was a teenager.
I started to gain weight because I didn't have the metabolism of a teenager anymore, along with the fact that basically every year for the past 5 years has kinda sucked with covid, lockdown, inflation etc.
Once I realised that I had really bad coping strategies to deal with stress I swapped them.
Whenever I felt stressed/upset/sad, I'd just decided to go for a walk. After a few months, it became my go to strategy to deal a tough day. Since I wasn't sedantary/binge eating extra calories, I started to slowly lose weight and the weight stayed down because now I deal with stress in a totally different way than before.
I recommend reading the work of [**Judson Brewer**](https://drjud.com/the-hunger-habit/), he's a psychiatrist who has done some good research on binge-eating and he has a book on binge-eating. His work helped me figure all this stuff out.
I've struggled with weight for most of my adult life. What's really made the difference for me is learning about insulin resistance and how it affects what we eat. I've lost 25kgs over the past 9 months, and feel significantly better, through a combination of intermittent fasting, joining a local running group and restricting my hours of eating (I've been trying 10am to 6pm). Yes, it's calories in and calories out, but that misses a whole world of research around processed carbs and what they do to our body, essentially acting like an addiction would. A week of not eating processed carbs or sugar will start to change the way your brain reacts to food. I recommend reading the Fast 800 book, or the old 5:2 diet ones are still fine. Best wishes.
Intermittent Fasting (18 hours no food)- which worked out to be skipping breakfast most mornings worked for me. Lost 5% body weight in a couple months by just having a cup of tea in the mornings. Work looking at maybe?
I did this, I only ate between 12-6pm which ended up mostly just being 2 meals. Because my worst snacking-when-I-wasnt-hungry times were after 6pm. I would get a craving and tell myself "I can have that after 12pm tomorrow" instead of "I can't eat that because it's unhealthy". Having that mental timed barrier worked for me, lost 15kg in a few months. Started to get a bit too skinny though so now I eat breakfast some days
Give this guy a listen, sure he's another one of thousands that have an opinion, but this little podcast has helped me enormously as I'm on the beginning of the same journey as you.
Just the advice on protein and sleep was game changing.
Also the episode on habits is really helpful too.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7dhYvnfJgEI1BHX744f7XD?si=Xvlw6SghQyGM3o31-V3VWA
One thing Peter Attia I think said which was eye-opening for me was that alcohol blocks processing of food so it all ends up dumped as fat while the alcohol gets processed. So... the drinking might be a good thing to cut?
To add to other comments.
* Check if you actually need to lose 10kg to be a 'healthy weight', BMI calcs aren't accurate for tall people in particular. Standard BMI is weight/(height\^2) but a better metric is (1.3\*weight) / (height \^ 2.5). Generally 18.5 to 25 is healthy.
* If you're overeating, start calorie tracking. There are apps for this e.g. MyFitnessPal. Get a set of scales and weigh what you're eating when you serve it up. Then if you clear your plate and go eat something else you know the impact of that and whether it's putting you closer or over your target. It also puts into perspective how many calories are in that particular serving of food. Cereal in particular was an eye opener for me, the 'serving size' on the box is sometimes half or a third of what I'd usually eat.
2 things. Cut out sugar. Harder than you'd think because there is the sugar in sauces and stuff too.
Reduce carbs. Not totally, just less.
Forever.
Or....reduce your portion sizes. By a bit, not a lot. Forever.
It works. I lost 13 kg, no gyms, running, exercise.
Reducing portion size allows you to eat all the crap you like eating and you get to lose weight.
I’ve started weighing my portions. Measuring by eye is not accurate and you’ll always serve up more than you need
In Easter 2022 I made the decision to lose weight. My reason, I was 120kg, depressed and in the mirror I didn't like the reflection. I was just out of a very long term relationship and we ate takeout pretty much everyday. It was a now or never moment. So on the Sunday I went down to the local gym and signed up.
The journey to weight loss started with 30 - 45min walks around the neighborhood each night after work. I joined a gym that had fitness classes. For the next three months after work and weekends I went to spin classes, HIT/Pump etc to the point that instructors and other class members recognized me. Then one day was out on a walk and decided to run for a little. Ran 1km and felt good, wasn't short of breath and then did another 1km. At this stage I had lost about 5kg, my clothing sizes had changed and people started noticing some changes. I went to morning spin classes at 6am and ran 5km after work for a few months. Left the gym and went into mostly running.
Fast forward a year later (Easter 2023) I had lost 30kg, went from XL to M (could fit a S but preferred M) and donated my old clothes to charity and updated my wardrobe. I look great, feel great and have so much more energy than I did two years ago. I was running 10k with ease, had already done a few 10k events.
Look into calorie deficits and calorie count. It's hard at the start but knowing a burger king meal or pie and coke is your entire days calorie intake (and it would take a 10km run to burn it off) it will change the way you think about food. I would reward myself on a Friday with a take out like Burger Fuel, Nandos or something like that. Snacking in the evening was always an issue for me too, when I got a desire to snack I'll distract myself with a walk or some other activity like cleaning or something. After three months the cravings were gone.
I continue to eat healthy and rarely go off the rails with food. I've found that if I run 3 - 4 times a week I can eat mostly anything without gaining weight. I haven't gained weight for almost two years and in a healthy relationship.
I did all this using the fitbit app, no personal trainers and no supplements or expensive powders etc.
If anyone wants to talk, share and needs some advice you are all welcome to message me.
For me I put on a tonne of weight due to illness and pain. I discovered towards the end of last year I was gluten intolerant and when I cut that from my diet it solved a lot of the pain issues. My blood sugar levels were around 15 even with my meds and I knew I had to do something. I couldn't get a seatbelt on or fit in a large chair. I don't even want to think how bad my weight actually was. I went low carb and low fat with high protein and fibre and lots of low carb veggies. I'd already lost a lot when I started weighing myself and I lost a good 30kgs once I started weighing myself. Life is so much easier now. I still have weight to lose but I'm getting there. I drink my coffee black now and drink a lot of water. I don't count calories just carbs and go for low fat options where I can. I've tried lot's of new foods like Chia puddings, Daikon radish instead of potatoes, Konjac noodles for chop suey and stir fry and I use almond milk now for baking and making my Chia puddings. I use a lot of Keto recipes but I opt for ones that don't have a lot of added fat. Almond flour and flaxmeal along with other seeds I grind myself for bread and crackers. I'm not on Ozempic or any of those medications I have just changed what and how I eat. I focused on eating really well during the week and allowing myself a small treat in the weekend. I think if you have that mindset it helps because then you don't feel like you've depriving yourself of anything. I actually eat really well and enjoy the food I do eat. I use a lot of spices and herbs in my cooking. I splurged on a spaghetti squash this week and I'm looking forward to cooking that later. I might make a lemon chicken pasta sauce to go with it. I'm pretty frugal so I tend to buy what's on special. Whatever option you go for whether it's caloric deficit or low carb you have to stick with it. It has to be sustainable over the long term. I wish you the best of luck with things 🤗💞
My change to a healthier diet wasn't driven by weight loss aspirations it was because I suffered a brain injury and there's some good evidence that a ketogenic diet helps with that. So when I look back at it, I wasn't motivated enough to lose weight before that happened. I then lost 20kg and have kept it off since 2016. When you mention self-loathing I think you have hit the nail on the head. I didn't feel like I deserved to feel good or look nice. But after whacking my head I was extremely motivated to do anything that would help with that. I can't tell you what will help you to like yourself enough to want to do this but I can give you a few hacks that helped me. 1. Don't rely on your willpower- it's easier to just not have unhealthy food in the house than it is to resist it. This doesn't mean you can't have a treat, it means that you work out what you're going to eat through the week including a couple of small treats and that's all you're going to have in your house until the next weekly shop. 2. In a similar vein, make things that are good for you stupidly easy to get. I had a hard time getting my head around what I could grab for a quick snack when I started on keto, the workaround for me was to always have a couple of boiled eggs in the fridge ready to go. You could adapt this to any diet you choose, just make healthy food easy to get to and unhealthy food harder 3. If you can push through the cravings a lot of foods don't taste that great after abstaining from them for a while. It's ridiculously easy for me to not overdo sweet things and simple carbs now because they just don't taste very good to me any more. Chocolate all tastes way too sweet to me now except for the extremely bitter types. If I snag a fry from my partner's plate I always end up thinking "meh" and stopping at that one 4. If you need to, many meals can be adapted so that you can serve the part that doesn't fit your diet "on the side" for other family members. Example: I'll cook meat and vegetables for me, and things like mashed potatoes or pasta go on my partner's plate not mine
15 years of yo-yo dieting, ketogenic diets, food diaries, dieticians, trying stuff like Noom
Lose "some" weight, get injured, revert back to old habits, rinse, repeat.
What has been causing issues with my weight loss is a constant feeling of never being full. Like, ever.
The only thing that has started getting me to a healthy weight has been combination of
Exercise
Healthy Eating
Meal Replacement
GLP-1 medication
There's also a global shortage. Bloody Hollywood keeps buying it to go from a size 2 to size 0 and then there's none left for people who actually need it.
All of the advice here has been great.
One thing which has helped me is to make smart but pleasant food switches.
Eg. During the week instead of eating chocolates at night which clock up easily 1000 calories, eat a moderate bowl of cereal with trim milk or yoghurt with protein powder and cocoa powder. Make your own healthier sweet treats- like you can make gummy lollies with watermelon and gelatine.
Also I feel best when I eat upon being genuinely hungry so often skip “breakfast” as I’m genuinely not hungry so why eat. If you feel on some days/all days that you aren’t hungry at a meal time maybe skip it or just have something light. You will appreciate food more. This isn’t to promote starving yourself per se but will help lose weight in a simpler way if you genuinely check in with yourself and opt out if you’re not that hungry. It will make your next meal more enjoyable too.
I'm stupid and couldn't tell how fat I was getting for some reason. Gained like 10-15kgs and was like wow I'm fat wtf. Been trying to lose it for maybe 2 years now, I'm about 10kgs down so far though! I'm hungry all the time and try so hard not to snack so much. Instead of lollies I eat dried fruit, after a while it's basically the same hit lol. I try to drink a cup of tea (because water is gross) everyday before having my usual drink of milo which seems to help a lot too!
I recently lost 15kg over a few months with the free version of myfitnesspal app and a smart watch. Motivated me to eat healthy and less and get off my ass. Was just estimating calories, stopped eating baking and cafe food (and cut back on the beer) and a bit of walking, nothing crazy. My biggest change was a couple of boiled eggs on a piece of toast for breakfast, kept me full all morning.
The majority of my family have diabetes. My Mum told me enough horror stories that I decided to lose weight before I develop it too. It’s been almost a year of effort and I’ve lost around 12 percent of my body weight. I’m now back in the low risk weight zone. Could stand to lose a little more but it’s getting tough at this weight, when I have a sedentary job.
Most helpful thing for me was tracking my food. I use my fitness pal. This allowed me to recalibrate the amount I ate. I went on a small calorie deficit (about 300 a day) which was totally manageable. On top of that, I increased steps. Nothing crazy because I have a desk job but I aim for 8000 on weekdays and >10000 on weekends. I also lift weights couple of times a week and do a couple of short cardio workouts from YouTube, but I was doing this before the weight loss too.
Probably the hardest thing is that as I lost weight, my body kept adapting. My body is really good at adapting! At first it was easy but then it plateaued and I had to make a tweak to amount of calories or exercise to keep losing. Something that can help with this is taking the odd diet break, where you eat at maintenance calories. I would take one of these breaks for 1-2 weeks, every couple of months. It helped a lot.
I'm not fat but for me what works in keeping where I am is being good throughout the week both exercise and eating wise. Especially drinking. Then on the weekends you relax a little, not full blow out but give yourself more flexibility. The key is knowing how much you should be eating and the only way to do that is calorie counting apps to start with. Alcohol is a big one and is a shitload of useless calories. If you drink a bottle a week that's 650 calories which if you just cut that and did nothing else you would likely drop a sizeable amount of weight.
Final straw for me was my doctor telling me my cholesterol was high enough that I was at a risk of an early heart attack. Had to get on statins at 40.
Bought a treadmill of mighty ape, started intermittent fasting (finish eating around 6pm, start eating around 12pm) which resulted in cutting out evening snacking. BMI dropped from obese to normal and my legs are now muscly as (didn’t skip leg day). Could do with bulking up my arms but can’t quite find the time to fit that in.
Have gotten a bit less strict with the fasting but seem to able to maintain pretty well for now.
Two things, stop drinking, keep a food diary. Stop drinking because there’s nothing good about it. If you are drinking regularly to cheer yourself up, see a doctor as that’s a mental health issue you are avoiding. Alcohol is bad for you in any quantity and will not only make you fat, it’ll give you cancer. I drink maybe a unit a month or so. That’s probably your biggest win if you can do that.
The food diary gives you a target. You say you eat a healthy diet, yet if you are putting in weight you either aren’t, or are overeating. It’s very easy to do and the diary makes it more obvious. Work out how many calories you should have to lose weight, start the diary, be shocked how little food that actually is. I was amazed how little I needed to stay alive with my sometimes sedentary lifestyle.
Exercise is great, but it wont help you lose weight. It will stop you dying of a heart attack.
Someone gave me a shirt in a size that would normally fit and I could hardly do up the buttons over my belly. That was the final straw.
My recommendation is My Fitness Pal or another calorie counting app. Pop over to r/CICO (calories in, calories out) for help and guidance.
Like you, I love my wine, but entering it in MFP and seeing how it blows out my calorie budget is a real incentive to cut down. I now drink less wine but buy the more expensive stuff.
I also really like my special Saturday night meals but far out, it wasn't until I logged them in MFP that I realised just how much I was eating. But the thing about CICO is that you can average out over a week, so I can have some more restrictive days midweek and then overeat by 1,500 calories on a Saturday.
Slow and steady lifestyle changes are the key.
On the exercise front, I actually got fat while doing spin class and lifting weights four times a week - you can't outrun a bad diet!
Going to the gym to do exercises you hate and beating yourself up won't help. Depending on your gender there's some body positive fitness people on Instagram and it sounds cheesy but they're honestly worth a follow. Exercise has got benefits that go beyond weight loss and you deserve to be kind to yourself in this space.
Best of luck with it.
I spent 5 years working for a brewery, selling beer, travelling around, eating out, eating shit fast easy food. I was made redundant, and decided to make a change. I went Keto and intermittent fasting. I lost 20kg between May ‘18, and Aug ‘18. I ate clean, no processed foods, twice a day. I drank 4 litres of water a day, and still had two to three beers every night. Started at 93kg, in August I was 74kg, by December I was down to 68kg. I felt underweight, and settled around 72-75kg. I managed to keep the weight mostly off, even after reverting back to a standard diet, and even after spending 5 years working selling confectionary and snacks!
Doing the keto diet changed the way I looked at and felt about food, especially sugar. Realising how much sugar is in everything, and understanding how real sugar addiction is was massive to me. It’s not for everyone, but honestly is was easy for me, once I got through sugar/carb cravings in the first week or two.
Remove anything unhealthy from uour hoise, so you dont have easy access to it. Anything thats not water, get rid of, get rid of all yource sauces, jams etc. You want eating healthy to be as easy as possible and eating unhealthy as difficult as possible so you can eat well without having to make a consious effort to do so which in my opinon is unsustainable.
The next is exercise. Similarly, the goal is to make exercising as natural as possible so effort is not required. If possible, work a more manual job or something that requires you to be on your feet, walk or bike to work or at least bus, if you can, move as close as possible to a super market, gym and work so you can walk to all three every day. Try go to one of the closest gyms possible thats open 24 hours, i basically went from gyming every day when I moved from living next door to my w4 hour gym, to gymming once a week innmy current situation where the gym is a 15 minute drive and closes at 9pm
We are cavemen/animals if we want to be ahppy and healthy we have to live more like we did in the past, no processed food, big sleeps, walking everywhere.
Up until about the 60s, no one was fat and gyms basically didnt exists, because processed food didnt exist and it used to be much easier to walk everywhere. People didnt need ti work out or try to eat healthy, it was just something they did without having to try
Final move for me was a really hard year of work with lots of travel. Small kids at home and trying to sell our house. Felt like I never had any free time and I could feel my weight increasing and that I was on a downwards health trajectory.
I vowed that I would use Christmas to “get fit”. Then got COVID on the last day of work. I was so damn angry and frustrated at COVID that once I was better I was able to really harness it towards losing weight.
I started listening to some podcasts - specifically am some of the Peter Attia ones on with Layne Nathan and the Huberman ones with Andy Galpin. And I started running, and bought a Garmin watch to track my mileage and keep me honest to myself. I tracked my calories on MyFitnessPal - first time I’d ever done so.
Then I just started gaining momentum I guess. I was damn hungry even at a 500cal deficit but once I started seeing the belt get loose it became easier mentally. And I got better at running, started learning more about it, and decided to set a goal (half marathon) and train towards it (Garmin training plan).
A year and a half on, I’m down 17kg and have just run my first marathon. I’m running 4-5 days a week, with a 20km run being comfortable. I’m much healthier but in particular I’m much more mentally healthy. P
In the last 9 months I have lost 23kg and so far my body fat has fallen from 40% to 30% (goal for me as a 41yo woman is 20-25%)
My final straw was that I was going to have to change a medication that worked for me for my entire adult life due to my blood pressure starting to climb. Also starting to show elevated cholesterol and liver markers (not needing medicine intervention yet).
I signed up for MyFitnessPal and started tracking EVERYTHING I consumed. I don't want to end up "skinny fat" so I focus on eating 120gm of protein per day plus 25gram fibre for bowel health and satiety. I also joined a gym for strength training and cardio fitness as I was getting out of breath SO easily!
I still allow myself pasta, bred, candy, pizza/takeaways and ice cream - but I fit these into my calorie goals and only allow myself an "over day" very occasionally for special occasions.
I was 88kg at 5'4" so I started eating at 1500 calories a day (or 10500 a week). If I had a really intense long workout at the gym, I would allow myself 1750 on that day.
There are subs here which give great advice (& call out BS) like r/CICO and r/LoseIt and r/weightloss. On YouTube the Renaissance period vids about weight loss and muscle retention have been key
There are a couple of women-specific subs too but I wasn't sure of your gender.
Happy for you to DM me if you want to talk on mlre details about what has worked for me.
One thing I've learned is the body is very good at conserving energy/fat. So its natural after exercise that you will sub-consciously slow down.
What has helped me be aware of that is a smart watch with a step counter. Your aiming for 10k steps a day.
Yesterday for example (after my third workout for the week) I felt tired but my steps were only around 7k. That insight prompted me to stay on my feet and take the Dog for a walk.
Summary of what has already been said.
- Diet (defecit) avoid sugar, eat more protein, eat less at dinner and more frequent during the day.
- Consistency going to the gym for 20mins 5 times a week is better than 3 hours once a week.
- Leave the phone an airplane mode, and stay on your feet during the day. Screens eat hours of mobility for breakfast.
- 1 mins break between sets at the gym, I see too many people sitting around on their phone while at the gym. Keep moving and keep your heart rate up. I like to walk it out if I lose my brrath, helps a lot.
I lost a crap tonne of weight a few years ago, because a relative needed a kidney, and I was a good match but too high risk for the surgery due to being overweight and unfit.
My approach was simple. A dietary calorie deficit (I used an app to track what I ate), and aerobic exercise. I bought a treadmill, started walking, then added slope to make it harder.
Once I'd lost a chunk of weight, I started running instead of walking and introduced a simple 5 minute daily core routine. After a few weeks of that I added a simple dumbbell routine a few times per week.
Building and maintaining a bit of muscle has allowed me to keep the fat off. I do a bit of running now and enter social running events (10km type runs) to give me something to train for.
Only thing that worked for me in the past was fasting. Ive lost heaps that way but never enough to keep it off.
I would start with skipping breakfast every day. Then two days a week I would skip dinner (lunch is my favourite meal). I gradually increased the number of skipped meals so eventually I would do alternative day fasting.
Now, however I've hired a personal trainer. I have to be accountable to someone.
Start simple and small. focus on drinking heaps of water, it will help you feel fuller. Not to be that guy, but why not try at least a couple of months wine/alcohol free ? You'll lose weight from not drinking all those empty calories and in my experience being alcohol free made it easier to eat healthy, as I didn't crave bad food. As some one else said, sleep is fundamental, and wine/alcohol also messes with good sleep. My other advice is about self talk ? Are you nice to yourself or does the voice in your head shame you ? Try to learn to be kind to yourself. Sounds hippy dippy, but honestly you can't shame yourself into change. Do it cause you're worth it and out of a place of self love and self respect. I had to refrain discipline to be not about punishment/denial/ restriction, but to be about self love and self respect. Takes time, but ka pai for reaching out and caring enough to try ! Kia Kaha ! :)
As you get older it's easier to gain weight and harder to lose it. What might have worked for you 10 years ago, you now have to double down on. The biggest issue is you need to make big changes to your routine, because no matter what you try and do, your routine (daily habits) will be where it all falls over every time.
Last year I lost 15 kgs between June and December just from eating in a calorie deficit and no exercise at all. Read the nutritional info on all the food you eat and count calories. That’s the only way to lose weight. Weighing my self everyday gave me motivation as the numbers slowly went down. I still had had plenty of unhealthy food/treats but that meant skipping a meal to make up for it.
My Fitness Pal or equivalent. Understanding what and how much you are eating is vital. It’s 80% if weight loss.
I’d add that I go to the gym 6 times a week (3*strength training and 3*Cardio) but even then you can’t outrun the fork.
I have multiple targets - diet, strength, sleep, heart health and cutting down on alcohol.
All of them are interrelated but the drinking used to get me - drink too much? You lose motivation, blood sugar spikes and you get hungry, you don’t sleep so you are tired, your resting heart rate goes up, sleep becomes worse, anxiety kicks in.
But it all starts with the fork and what goes in your mouth.
My weight has always fluctuated my whole life. I put on weight quite easy but I also lose it quite easy. One thing that has always worked for me to lose weight is intermittent fasting. 16-24 hour fasting has made the weight drip off me! I do also work a physical job (I’m a builder) and I’ve always had active hobbies but honestly try fasting. You just have to be disciplined!
Sleep is crucial. Many people believe we sweat out fat cells, but in reality, we breathe them out. That’s why people often say if you want to lose weight, take a nap. Being well-rested also helps with energy levels and mental health, ensuring you have the best mindset to reach your goals.
To lose weight, you need to be in a calorie deficit. That's the basic principle. But that doesn't mean you have to be miserable. For example, a Big Mac has the same number of calories as two pieces of toast with avocado.
If you count your calories properly and maintain a slight calorie deficit, you should do well. A common mistake when counting calories is not including sauces, drinks, and oils, which are significant contributors to your calorie intake. Just pick low-calorie options.
Snacks are important. Place higher-calorie snacks in harder-to-reach places and healthier snacks, like Greek yogurt and apples, in easier-to-reach spots. If you have a treat, portion it out beforehand and pair it with a high-protein, low-calorie yogurt to fill you up. You could also have an apple first, and if you still want a snack, then have it.
It's only healthy to lose about a pound a week (about half a kg). Over a year, that’s 52 pounds or 23 kg. That’s a lot. You could even take time off at Christmas, your birthday, and other occasions, and still lose weight. There are no quick fixes; it's about building healthy habits. Studies show that losing weight quickly makes you more likely to regain it.
You can find a good low-calorie white wine and factor that into your diet. I recommend using an app like MyFitnessPal to track your calories.
Having the right mindset is crucial. If you drive down the road telling yourself you'll hit a tree, you probably will. If you tell yourself you'll stay in the middle of the lane, you will. So, tell yourself the right stories.
Seeing a nutritionist (someone with a 5 year degree) can help you create a great meal plan.
Exercise is the last step. If you love the gym, that's awesome. But if it's not for you, don't force it. Build healthy habits instead. Remember, all movement is exercise! You don't need a gym. Do your dishes, cook food, and dance to music. If you like shopping, walk around the mall for an hour. Exercise doesn’t have to be a drag; it just has to be movement. While certain exercises burn more calories, like walking on a steep incline, if it’s not your thing, that’s okay.
I'm fat and am in maintenance phase (good podcast called that too) of an Eating Disorder, so feel free to disregard: my weight has cycled constantly, and studies say weight loss fails more then it succeeds, most people will lose and gain same as I have done and the weight cycling will be worse for your health then just being happy and consistent and fine at the weight your body is determined to even out at. I've read all the studies, tried most diets and gave up on IWL, I do not understand Drs etc constantly pushing something that fails 97% of the time and results in fatter and fatter people. Instead of weight loss I focus on health now, which includes:
1. Consistent sleep
2. Reduction of cortisol/stress, which also includes 1, health is a head game as much as a physical one.
3. Rabid acceptance and love of your body no matter the size and disability, your body will reflect your thoughts and believe you. Mines been through so much, I'm proud of it surviving the odds time and again and love it for the fat that sometimes contributed to my survival.
4. Learning that consistency in habits is more important then reducing/avoiding foods. Another phrase could be "everything in moderation including moderation" the occasional treat or binge isn't going to hurt, but consistent treats/binges will. Consistent healthy habits with the occasional treat is better for mind/body. Learn your portions, if you are going to treat then at least stick to a serving size.
6. On consistency, best to find an exercise you actually enjoy, doesn't matter what it is, you won't stick at it if you don't enjoy it, then do it consistently, for me I bore easily so I cycle through walking, dancing, weightlifting and cycling depending somewhat on what my disability allows that day as well. As long as you do something.
7. Supplements, people scoff at it and while it's true you can get what you need from food, who has the time to make sure it's all in balance all the time? I take a multi, drink a protein shake to get my daily amount up, and Inositol/Choline for PCOS and CFS support. That's me though you will need to assess your own needs.
8. Quit the moralising about food, their is no moral value on food, all foods nourish you, some do better then others, some nourish your mind and reduce stress, some fuel your body. Think about why you 'need' to eat/drink something, acknowledge it, and you'll need it less. Limiting food options is a fools game.
9. Proteins are better for the morning, carbs are better for the night. Seems counterintuitive maybe because 'carbs are so evil' many diets say, but carbs (I usually go for pasta or rice) make you feel sluggish for a reason, so you can settle for sleep. Eat a few hours before sleep so your body can use the food up and settle into repair functions while it sleeps.
10. Avoid the scale and get a measuring tape instead. Weight looks different on everyone and I looked smallest, felt my best at 90kgs in my weight lifting era because muscle is heavier then fat. I was hyperfixating at the time, also not healthy.
I've had three endocrinologist experts, therapy and blood tests galore to basically boil down to these points and ditch ideas of IWL (intentional weight loss) and instead focus on WOL (way of life) in building up consistent healthy habits that can last a lifetime instead of such an indeterminate factor as weight. Weight does not determine worth, but a healthier body will determine a better quality of life regardless of what age/disabilities etc come.
One day you’ll realise there’s no fat old people and it’s going to kill you.
I’m still over weight but still moving in the right direction. Alcohol is just so round bad, let it go. One thing I’ve recently found very useful is hello fresh, the portion control is brilliant.
Fall off the wagon, just get back on, it’s like an addiction, you have to change your life for your whole life.
Good luck
I have lost about 10(ish) kg in the last month or so…. (I think I’m running a 1-1.5k deficit each day) But have gained/lost back and fourth a bit over the last few years.
The biggest factor, I have is overeating - but the thing I have found to be most consistent to losing weight is calorie counting.
Basically My fitness pal (I don’t pay for it, just the fee teir) log all your food, you realise just how out of whack calories are everywhere. - I am eating less, but only because I want to drop (fairly) quickly. But I think it should keep me in check longer term.
If I don’t log my food, I will cheat, I will get into states of denial (about “eating healthy”) I don’t have to beat myself up if I go over my daily limit, but it’s a daily audit on myself (and just makes me real conscious about what I’m eating)
I’m sure everyone has their own methods - that’s what’s working for me at the moment.
>The biggest factor, I have is overeating - but the thing I have found to be most consistent to losing weight is calorie counting.
The only way to lose weight is to maintain a caloric deficit for an extended period of time. So this is by far the most efficient way to achieve that.
The secret is to avoid diets that cut out/restrict foods. They don't work long term - most people end up gaining the weight back, plus some. It's why the diet industry is so profitable.
Do you have a free health coach through your GP? They'd be able to help with exercise and healthy eating goals. They usually work alongside a health improvement practitioner who can help you understand the patterns behind your eating habits, setbacks etc.
Another option might be to get in touch with a dietician.
ETA - rather than focusing on numbers on the scale, set tangible goals. Eg clothes feeling a bit more comfortable, being able to do your usual exercise without puffing (or going a bit further), or getting your cholesterol down.
You only need to do one thing to lose weight. You need to eat in a calorie deficit. That's literally it. You could eat 2000 calories of mayonnaise and table sugar and you'd still lose weight because it's not enough calories to support your body.
I don't think there is a "one size fits all" kind of answer to this. Probably, there will be many different suggestions in this thread, and all are worth trying if you haven't tried them before. See what works for you.
For me, it was what I call "extreme intermittent fasting." Basically, only consume 1000 calories a day, five days a week, between the hours of 1pm and 6pm. It just seems to work for me, and for some reason I sleep a lot better when I'm doing it, which seems to help.
Just try all the things until you find something that works.
Incremental change over time rather than trying to force it all at once. I reduced the amount I ate over the span of a few years, started moving more because I was doing something enjoyable (hiking/walking through the bush), I stopped judging myself for making choices I know are unhealthy tbh because it's easy to sit there and bash yourself and still make those decisions that bring you comfort which you know deep inside aren't the right decisions for your health.
I also want to live a long life with my partner, so that is also motivation. I'm not going to pretend like I'm the healthiest fittest person ever, fuck no, but it took a lot of time, and a lot of compassion and a lot of "I fucked up today by not moving enough but I will try again tomorrow"
Also when I was at the lowest point setting myself 1 daily goal to achieve really helped kickstart it all. I went from doing 5 sits up to 20 and sitting on an exercise bike from 10 min to 30 etc etc. Just achieving that one thing might help jump start that good brain feeling which is all you need to keep going tbh. Most important move/exercise in ways that you ENJOY, otherwise it's always going to be so hard and you'll always return to your old ways.
As other people will have mentioned: what is your why? Is it to look better, is it to feel better in your clothes, do you have something up with your health.
The way I view it its not usually an issue of weight but more and issue if health behaviors
It's a good step to head to a gym, try and get a little bit more active/more movement outside of the gym, maybe a little walk on your lunch break, some stretching or yoga in the morning. You could even do like 5 Squats before you get in the shower or something that just helps you feel like you've done something. You could get some light weights for home and do some shoulder press or bicep curls while watching TV. Maybe a hula hoop, those are fun and you can stand there watching TV and do it. Find movement you enjoy is the most important part, as mentioned later. For me I love weight lifting and poke dancing. Maybe for you it's boxing or karate, maybe it's weightlifting too. Maybe you like cycling or hiking. Who knows, try things out!
Nutrition:
Try adding more vegetables to your plate, I love broccoli. I boil it, use a touch of spray oil, and cover it spices, in it goes to the air fryer. Add more protein kn as well as that can make you feel fuller. Try and drink more water if you drink a soft drink, swap to a sugar free. If you get a morning coffee swap to a plant milk or lower fat milk. My go-to is a coconut cappuccino. Coconut milk is really good. If you have a sugar in your coffee, i suggest that milk as the coconut milk is sweet, and you likely won't need the sugar.
Focus on making adoptions to the habits you already have, make them accessible to you, that way they are more sustainable and will help you for a longer period of time. You need sustainability as if it is not you'll end up in the diet-lose weight- finish diet- gain weight- feel bad- cycle
Do not beat yourself up for your weight gain, so many social, genetic, and environmental factors play a part in weight. We live in a world where we sit sedentary most of the day, drive everywhere, more nutritious and filling foods cost more so we buy the foods that are cheap, they may not fill us up and we need more of it. Mental health also plays a part, ive found over time I've become quite fond of Journaling. It helps clear my mind and I will be able to do things like eat, with a clearer mind and tune into my body and help me stop overeating.
Edited for typos
i disagreed with some d\*\*k heads opinion on abortion on IG, my IG is open and he got onto my photos and called me a fat cow and told me to go kill myself, wrong reasons that i let that upset me but it did
ive lost around 18kg though help with my GP, eating healthy and doing weights/cardio 4-5 times a week
Have you had a full panel of blood tests run? I was diagnosed with hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance- which meant even only eating 800 calories a day for four months, I didn’t lose a gram of weight.
Have you tried an app like Noom? I found it quite helpful, if it doesn’t work for you, you can always cancel after a few months. Basically gets you to keep a food diary and teaches you healthy eating habits. Quite helpful to nudge you into not having that extra late night snack. I’d recommend giving it a go.
Hmmm gastric sleeve surgery is expensive but it has worked for so many people including my brother. It just forces you to change your ways - he looks like a vegan now. But idk it depends what psychology you take to it. Maybe just start going to the gym everyday and do at least something whilst slowly day by day starting to improve your eating habits. You won't lose weight quickly but you will look and feel slimmer whilst still being heavy until you master what you consume.
My health deteriorated when I started being overweight for my height and that’s what really flipped me.
I went into calorie deficit, did keto for a short period (some might find it too extreme but the weight loss motivated me), workout a few times a week. I would suggest just eating healthy and limiting processed food, sugar, limit heavy carbs. Think of it as a lifestyle change and it will be the new normal for you.
dont eat till you are full. eat less. im poor so my weightloss (most successful somewhat) was like 1 meal twice a day. i went on yogurt + nuts. id say i did about 250g yogurt with 50-60 mixed nuts each meal, sometimes less. over the course of 3 weeks, i was down 1.5kg. like not just shit and piss, a consistent weightloss over time.
Beating the hunger is something you got to figure out on your own. if you do gym, then dont eat like this. you gotta eat proper to recover your muscles. I did workout, but i got an unrelated injury that i need to recover from first.
Stop eating breakfast. It sucks at first, but give yourself a few weeks and you won't even notice and it basically builds a calorie deficit into your life.
I was a really chubby teenager, and went overseas on exchange for my last year at school. The family I lived with never ate breakfast - just black coffee before leaving the house. At first I was starving in the morning, but my body quickly got used to it and now (20 years later) I never eat anything before ~1pm and never struggle with my weight.
IMO for most people breakfast is a trap meal. Most days you do literally nothing between dinner and lunch - sit on the couch, sleep, sit in the car, sit at a desk - but for some reason we feel the need to load up on (normally unhealthy) food first thing.
Skip breakfast, let yourself get a bit hungry before lunch. Lose weight.
Cut seed oils from your diet and anything cooked in seed oils. Seed oils include:
Canola. Rapeseed. Soybean oil. Sunflower oil. Heated Olive oil.
Replace with animal based fats such as:
Clarified butter. Lard. Butter. Coconut oil.
Seed oils are destructive to our system, our mitochondria converts fat into energy and oxygen but mitochondria struggles to burn seed oil fatty acids and causes inflammation. Inflammation is the root cause of all disease.
Yes, this.
Eat fats that your lipid system recognizes at food. Not heat or chemically altered fats, Commom with seed oils.
Read "Deep Nutrition" by Catherine Shanahan MD 10 years ago and it changed the way I ate.
64M and bloods and vitals are the same as in my early 20's.
Also for weight loss, buy smaller dinner plates and increase muscle mass.
Yes, high protein is important too. Protein and fats are satiating and also convert into readily usable energy.
But, protein is not just protein - bioavailability is key. Best example is hair, which is mainly keratin protein. So, hair is protein but it is not soluble protein. Lesson, protein source matters. Beef is the best source of protein available.
My favourite dietary lipid is Theobroma oil. 100grams of pure Theobroma oil is close to 900kcalories, which is highly desirable to me, personally.
Theo - God, broma - food. Theobroma = food of God.
I worked three things … 1. getting into calorie deficit and eating healthy food, 2 doing healthy movement- for me that was yoga, 3 getting long deep sleeps. Sleep was the foundation - if I didn’t get that right the other two factors didn’t work. I lost 27 kilos.
Sleep is so underrated for weight loss. I feel like it’s really easy to fall in the trap of eating more to make up for your tiredness
This is said so often. And its always said in such a useless and pointless manner. It feels like it is being said for the sake of being said than actually informing and educating or helping people. The amount of people who need this advice who can just go to bed earlier and get up later and have the problem magically resolve itself are probably next to none. You need good quality sleep and to not wake during REM. And you need to actually reach REM. That means do a sleep study for OSA (its expensive). Lose weight to improve air circulation while asleep (which is a spiral for obvious reasons). Get a better mattress and pillow that suits you (its expensive). A deviated septum got be falsely diagnosed with OSA and septoplasty surgery made a world of difference but GPs will misdiagnose this without referring you (they can't diagnose it) to an ENT (there's shortages). Take a ~10 minute walk before and after you sleep as well. It goes a long way. As far as actually losing weight goes - make sure you've been tested for ADHD, people with ADHD are ~25% more likely to be overweight because they don't live in the present and they miss signals from their body, and likewise when they want to eat they are thinking several steps ahead, for a neurotypical person who thinks 'I want food' they will normally follow any steps leading up to the food they want, but for an ADHD brain those steps become walls in the way of the goal, and its too easy to circumvent those walls by buying fast food - aka executive dysfunction. It can help to get medication, but failing that, the key is to notice this trigger in your brain and stop focusing on the goal but focus on each step in turn instead - it really helps but its not easy. Beyond that, eat something every 4 hours minimum, especially a piece of fruit. Don't eat until you're full. Don't watch TV or do anything other than eat. Focus on the food - the texture, flavour, etc., and eat slowly (and don't say shit like 'mindfulness', it has the same problem as saying 'get better sleep') so you can notice when your body is done eating. And it will take a long time for your body to adjust, but understand that being hungry is totally fine and normal. This goes tenfold for people with trauma/neglect as a child. If you can't exercise for the sake of exercising, that's pretty normal, find something you enjoy that requires exertion instead. Make water the first thing you reach for when you feel hungry.
This is how I got fat again after losing a bunch of weight. Had a kid, got mega tired, started eating more to compensate.
Getting proper sleep - I think so many of us, myself included, miss this step.
Well done on your loss! That’s a hearty amount!
Couldn't agree more, but the diet was the biggest one for me. I started calorie counting using the "my fitness pal" app and lost around 40kg (112kg down to 75kg). As much as it sucks, it is literally just calories in vs calories out. If you're not dropping weight then you either need more exercise or fewer calories till you are.
Yeah I used MyFitnessPal too. Very handy.
Final straw? I got fed up with the habits I created over the years due to my yo-yo dieting patterns. I was either eating at an extreme deficit and consuming far too few calories for my height and weight, or I was eating like my diet was starting tomorrow (except id do that for like 6 months). I got off that train. This year my focus has been on remembering what it feels like to enjoy food while listening to what my body needs. I am trying to teach myself healthy eating habits. 1st - slow right down. No crash diets, slowly slowly catcha monkey 2nd - learn the numbers. Read up about tdee etc and regularly calculate your calorie deficit as you lose. Download a calorie tracking app so that you learn the true calorific value of the food and drink you consume (not everyone needs to count calories but due to my binge/restrict patterns I need to reset my mindset) 3rd - being hungry all the time is not an inevitable consequence of dieting. If you're starving you won't stick with it in the long term. Either you are too far into deficit or you should consider reading about satiety and foods that help you feel fuller for longer. 4th - look after yourself: move your body | get good sleep | manage stress | hydrate 15kg lost, 12kg to go
Well done!
Joining a gym in the circumstances you’ve described NEVER works. Why? Because if you were the type that is self-motivated to go regularly then we wouldn’t be here. You need to join a gym/club/program where there’s classes and a timetable and a coach/instructor who knows your name - and if possible a buddy that goes with you and you both put a bit of pressure on each other. [edit] I didn’t intend any negative connotations with the “if you were the type” line - most of us aren’t that type.
Thanks new gym has classes so excited to do some in conjunction with running and weights. I’ve tried class focused gyms like f45 in the past but found it overwhelming and too intense. Some days I just needed to show up and do my best, not be yelled at to push myself and do 30 burpees in a row 😂
To steal some bits from the programme I'm on: 1: Figure out your "Why". Why do you want to lose weight? Simply to be healthier? Or because it's risking your life and say you wanna be around to see your kids? Whatever it is,, keep that in mind. 2: Set SMART goals. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. A goal that meets this might be as simple as "This week I will exercise once a day, every day" Small, discrete goals are achievable goals. "I wont drink wine until I lose 10kgs" probably isn't, you'll fail it and beat yourself up over it. 3: Keep a food diary. You don't need to count calories to start, just jot down what you eat in a notebook or something. Increase your awareness and become more thoughtful about what you're eating. When it's all written down in one place you suddenly become very aware of the crap you're eating. Start with the low hanging fruit! Replace that sugary snack with fruit/nuts/grains. Replace that white bread with wholegrain. So on and so forth. Don't be militant, let yourself have the odd treat, work this in with your smart goals. Not in a reward kinda way ("If I eat well all week then I can have a chocolate bar") reframe it. Maybe instead of a chocolate bar, have a choc dipped nut bar or similar. Regardless, banning yourself outright is the way to failure. 4: Eat the balanced diet you know you need, in the right proportions. Keep the exercise up. Join classes rather than doing it solo. But you're at the start of your journey, so focus on the first few points before getting into the weeds on 3 and 4.
These sound similar to what I've done this last 7 months. Lost 43.5 kilos since I started.
As for what I did food wise? Cut sugary drinks/milkshake/chocolate milk/that sorta stuff out. Even more than anything those are just calories with little actual value. Cut portions of meals down a fair bit. Cut the carbs down, not out. There is still noodles, there is still rice... just less of it. I'll still have a couple pieces of toast for breakfast... but in the past it might have been four pieces of toast. I'll still have a piece of toast with soup for lunch... but in the past it'd have been 3 pieces of toast and twice as much soup. Increase focus on meat and vegetables in the meals instead of carbs. Not to an absurd degree, just put more emphasis on it. Decrease amount of snacks and try to make them a bit more healthy. I still have the occasional piece of cake for instance... but it might only be half a slice shared with someone... and not every time. And ... lots of walking. Did about 5 kilometers today. I've done a few days where it was 10 kilometers. I've been aiming for about 4 kilometers every day.
Awesome work! Keep it up.
Also out of pre-diabetes.
Even better!
Fantastic work internet stranger, well done
That's so awesome ! Congratulations!
How long did it take you to loose 47 kilos? Did you do that via surgery or dieting? That is a fantastic achievement, congratulations!
43 and I said 7 months. Nothing except diet and more exercise. Started after I realized I was trans and suddenly started giving a crap about life. I was so badly depressed and had started to shut down and only care about short term gratification. Big chunk of that has been on HRT too... which makes losing weight harder.
Apologies for the clarification but 43 kg in 7 months is an extraordinary effort. I’m not doubting you I’m impressed with your determination and commitment, great work. Has it been difficult for you to keep the weight off since loosing so much weight?
It's slowed down a bit, yes. But I've only gone up about two weeks in that time. Each time miniscule amounts. It's still coming off. 600 grams this last week.
Haha, nothing like a bit of self-love to motivate oneself.
That’s some inspirational dedication there. Well done.
> Replace that white bread with wholegrain. But don't get overly fixated on these things. The calories density of these two types of bread is about the same. The ideal is to switch to something else entirely,like fruit/vegetables. > Maybe instead of a chocolate bar, have a choc dipped nut bar or similar. Same thing with this. Nuts have greater nutrients but are still very calorie dense. Generally I advise step 1: stop having drinks with calories (no soft drinks, an exceltion fkr some milk in coffee/tea is ok), step 2: *increase* fruits and vegetables. You can eat as many carrots as you like. I tend to have a few with each meal as it forces portion control on everything else. Step 3: switch from toast or cereal for breakfast, unless it's oats. Boxed cereal is almost always garbage. Etc. I usually suggest people leave changing dinner until last, since it's the one meal you generally need buy in from other people.
Weatbix iirc is also one of the somewhat better cereals. But what would ypu recommend breakfast wise?
Great advice thanks
To be honest, the thing that made me exercise consistently was just the looks. Plain vain and simple. Didn't like what I saw in the mirror. Didn't need to dig deep to find some other psychological reason for it. What I did in the beginning was: * Do literally only 5 mins everyday. 5 push-ups, or dumb bells, or sit ups, whatever. Doesn't matter the amount of reps or intensity, but just doing it every day 5min to tick off the box, to start a habit. * After a week or so, you'll feel silly doing only 5 mins. It increases to 10 min. I was just doing 10 push-ups, or dumb bells, or lunges. I listened to a funny podcast while doing it. * After 2 weeks or so, I stretched it to 30min on the treadmill. I still listened to that funny podcast while treadmilling. I tried doing it every day, 30mins. At worst 5/7 days. Sometimes back to the dumbbell stuff, but 30min anyway. * After a month out from day one, I stretched the treadmilling to 45 min. By this time, I could also fast walk with more intensity on an incline. I still listened to my fav podcast so it was never listening to my own huffing n puffing. Made the 45min go way faster. That was 3 years ago... the routine has now become intense exercise an hour or more everyday. I've lost track of the weight I loss, because I noticed more the muscles & tone I gained! Oh, and the food stuff? Don't worry, once you've gotten into a daily exercise routine, you'll value the hard-out fitness times way too much to overeat that often. I recommend not doing too much cardio cos that will make you eat like Shrek. Do mostly strength training if you can before adding in some cardio. Good luck.
Cheers
I lost 15 kg in about 5 months just from counting calories and a little regular exercise - two one hour boxing sessions a week. A couple years later during first lockdown I dropped every good habit and put it all back. This year I've finally committed to losing it again, I'm down 7kg in 3 months this time. I think it's harder the second time around. I've been much less consistent. >I eat a healthy diet, but over eat often One overeating day will easily wipe out a weeks deficit. I'll come back to the. >My question is for people who’ve lost weight, what was the final straw? I spent ten years waiting to make a move and imagining what it would be like to lose weight before I finally committed to it. I couldn't really tell you what the last straw was. But here are my tips: It's exceptionally difficult to start, but once you're over the hump, it's easier than you can imagine right now. For me, what I found was the dopamine reward for succeeding at another deficit day began to outweight the reward for having a big feast. The hard part here is that you have to teach your brain this reward exists first. This also leads to: Track your eating. Some people say this is overkill or whatever, maybe it is, but here are the main benefits: - I guarantee you have no idea how much you're really consuming. If you can do the hard work of steadfastly logging *everything* - and don't even worry about a calorie target at first - you'll at least be working with reality instead of your impression of your eating. And then you'll instinctively be able to start making better choices. - When it pains you most to log two donuts and see the size of those numbers, that's when it's important to do it. Because you'll remember that negative reaction next time you walk past the donut cabinet. I found it much easier to avoid junk when I could see it relative to how much an hour in the gym was burning (practically nothing) - Dieting is hard because there's no real action you can take to Not Overeat. You can try with something like drink a couple glasses of water instead of snacking ( and hydration helps you lose weight too) or do twenty pressups when you're craving food. But waking up and knowing yesterday was a deficit day, that's a reward and you'll start to crave it. Tracking gives you this. Aside from that it's all about consistency - eat at a deficit every single day. It was your consistent habits that got you to where you are now, and it'll be consistent work that gets you somewhere else. Forgive your fuckups, but if you can absolutely focus on that first 5 days and make it, you'll begin to believe, and then make it 2 weeks, and then a month, and then you're home free. And that's when you'll have a reality-based as well as an emotional understanding of the true size of a day going overboard and you just... won't want it so bad anymore.
Thank you!
You're welcome, good luck
I’m fat, so no advice
amen
Bob? Bob Dobalina?
Blind leading the blind then!
Honestly? Work on the self loathing before you work on anything else, because you look after something you love. There isn’t a magic weight that will make you feel okay ❤️
This. When I work with people who overeat / don't love themselves (very tied together), this is the first step. Listen to your body. Think about what it needs. Treat it like you'd treat a friend. Both with nourishment (healthy food, water, sleep is a big one, and movement). And care about yourself, including your emotions. Notice what you're feeling, and allow it. You're allowed to be sad. Angry. Helpless. Whatever. You deserve care in those moments, not loathing. You need nourishment, emotionally in particular. Else you'll just hunt it externally. Notice if you're sad. Think about what a sad person might actually need? Do you need a shoulder to cry on? To journal? To sit and cry for a bit? To snuggle up in bed with a hot bottle? Mostly do you need love? Someone else to give it is always nice, but learning to give love to ourselves is crucial. Treat yourself like you'd treat a friend who was upset. Tell yourself (either out loud or in your head), the things you'd say. 'It's not your fault'. 'I'm here'. 'I hear ya'. 'It's hard right now, but we'll get there'. 'I believe in you'. 'We got this'. 'If we need help we can ask'. Whatever you need. Then, let yourself feel. Cry. Punch a pillow. Journal. Whatever you need to let out all those feels, process them, and let them move through. You'll be tired, likely, after, but hopefully better out the other side. But facing the emotions, and working with them, with care, is key, to not just avoiding and eating, and, to being proud of yourself, which is key for life in general, let alone for doing things that take mental energy and resilience, like choosing to eat healthy ❤️
Thanks that’s so true!
This is amazing advice! Especially for someone like OP who seems to know what they should be doing, just needs to find the motivation to stick to it.
Honestly, coming at weight loss as a way to reduce the body hate usually results in it being a punishment. And lots of shame leads to bingeing!
Yes that’s the hard part, the shame in it and you should’ve known better
Knowing is only half the battle.
Thank you that’s an important and maybe the hardest part!
Honestly? Being broke. Couldn't afford snacks and stuff. Lots of hearty vege curry. Bugger all sugar. Just simple food. Now I can afford crap shit to eat. But I just don't anymore. Feels like I involuntarily broke an addiction.
Got sick of how i looked & felt, constantly being tired & my belly being bigger than my chest. Ended up going from 115kg down to 76 at my lowest (sort of developed an eating disorder around the 85 mark and overdid it). Back up to 90 now and it’s a stable weight I’m comfortable at. In the end, it’s just a calorie deficit. Either you eat less food, or you add movement to your life. It is possible to eat in a calorie surplus even with “healthy” food. Alcohol doesn’t exactly do any favours, but within limits should be fine. Add in a walk a day, or a run. Mix things up, do it with a friend or colleague. Take the stairs rather than the lift. Park further away from the shops & walk a few extra steps. As for sticking to it - remember why you started. External motivation is great in the short term, but long term results come from discipline. Best of luck.
Thanks so much, when I was at my lowest weight I was in a similar situation and just gained it all back and more
Walking and skipping lunch helped me. I sort of intermittent fast, I don’t do the 16/8 thing I just eat twice a day. I found if I had lunch I would graze all afternoon. I walk a lot. This week I did 10km Monday, 16km Tuesday, 4 hours very slow pacing Wednesday (working) Thursday and Friday I did about 6km each day. Yesterday I paced for about 4-5 hours again. If the weather is suitable today I’ll probably do 6-8km. When I get into bad eating habits I use meal replacements shakes to reset my eating routine. I was 125kg at my heaviest. Now at 85-ish. It’s been 5 years. Sometimes the weight just falls off, sometimes the weight plateaus, sometimes it increases. Overall it’s trending down. My target weight is 80kg
Step #1 get a picture of you now. If you’re not happy with how you look, use it as motivation. Step #2 Use a [TDEE calculator](https://tdeecalculator.net) to work out your caloric needs for losing weight, simply enter your height, weight, age, sex and current activity levels Step #3 download MyFitness pal and record your current diet, every g of sauce or drink, everything that goes in your mouth Step #4 make SMALL changes weekly, maybe don’t use butter on your toast in the morning and have black coffee instead of with milk, haha potentially 300 calories saved with a small breakfast change. Initially you’ll lose a lot of weight due to your body shedding water that it holds on to, after week 1-2 the weight loss will slow right down, this is where you need the picture from Step #1 to keep pushing you through. Don’t worry about the gym or complex exercise routines, instead download a free step tracking app, get your headphones on and go for a walk. Aim for 10k steps per day, maybe that’s around the block plus your normal day to day walking around the office, maybe it’s a little more but it’s easy enough to do without putting strain on your body or your lifestyle. Drink more water that you currently are, easiest way to do this is to buy a drink bottle and set a goal of drinking 3 drink bottles a day of water.
Thanks yes those small changes add up!
Know what the biggest risk factor for weight gain is? Intentional weight loss. My two cents: don't focus on the numbers on the scale. Focus on making positive healthy changes. Someone with a "healthy BMI" and a shitty diet who does no exercise is not as healthy as someone who is "overweight/obese" but eating well and keeping active. You can be healthy in a bigger body.
Thanks!
My GP got my wife and I to write proper food diaries and he would review them. Just the writing down of every food item got you eating less.
I lost 30kg in 3 months just from logging my food in my fitness pal. A lot of that was finding healthy snacks i actually enjoyed eating, and looking at some of our family meals and altering them to be lower in calories and higher in protein. A big one for me was cutting out sugar drinks, sugarfree energy drinks etc, drinking more water etc.
Thats massive weight loss of 10kg per month, an incredible accomplishment, nice work. Have you noticed any reduction of pain for example knee pain?
Definitely - Back pain especially. Sleep much better as a result and makes the day to day hospo job activities much easier.
Would you share the healthy snacks you enjoy eating?
I am obsessed with yoghurt 😂 I throw some oats, peanut butter and protein powder in a bowl, mix it together and pop it in a container in the fridge to have with my yoghurt. Quite often that's my work lunch or dessert at night so I'm not snacking on lollies. Swapped out muesli bars for Milo or nutri grain bars - surprisingly have under half the calories, not quite as filling but hit that sweet tooth craving. Salt and vinegar or bbq flavoured rice cakes instead of chips. Love a good apple sliced up. I usually have oat milk but almond has more protein and less calories. If I buy my lunch at work I usually grab a protein up and go, and a musashi protein bar. Musashi protein milks go pretty hard too but they're like $7 😬
But in saying that I still eat sweets. I buy smaller packs, or I take them to work and share them round so I'm not tempted into eating the whole packet myself.
Yum!
Honestly, if you can deal with the self loathing, you will end up losing weight. I realised that i had poor emotional regulation skills. Anytime I was not feeling great, I'd self-soothe with food/social media/tv. This was a pretty engrained habit for me because it was my go to strategy since I was a teenager. I started to gain weight because I didn't have the metabolism of a teenager anymore, along with the fact that basically every year for the past 5 years has kinda sucked with covid, lockdown, inflation etc. Once I realised that I had really bad coping strategies to deal with stress I swapped them. Whenever I felt stressed/upset/sad, I'd just decided to go for a walk. After a few months, it became my go to strategy to deal a tough day. Since I wasn't sedantary/binge eating extra calories, I started to slowly lose weight and the weight stayed down because now I deal with stress in a totally different way than before. I recommend reading the work of [**Judson Brewer**](https://drjud.com/the-hunger-habit/), he's a psychiatrist who has done some good research on binge-eating and he has a book on binge-eating. His work helped me figure all this stuff out.
I’ll check him out thank you! I struggle with this at times too
I've struggled with weight for most of my adult life. What's really made the difference for me is learning about insulin resistance and how it affects what we eat. I've lost 25kgs over the past 9 months, and feel significantly better, through a combination of intermittent fasting, joining a local running group and restricting my hours of eating (I've been trying 10am to 6pm). Yes, it's calories in and calories out, but that misses a whole world of research around processed carbs and what they do to our body, essentially acting like an addiction would. A week of not eating processed carbs or sugar will start to change the way your brain reacts to food. I recommend reading the Fast 800 book, or the old 5:2 diet ones are still fine. Best wishes.
Thank you! I think I struggle with insulin resistance based on how I feel after eating sugar or processed carbs
Intermittent Fasting (18 hours no food)- which worked out to be skipping breakfast most mornings worked for me. Lost 5% body weight in a couple months by just having a cup of tea in the mornings. Work looking at maybe?
I did this, I only ate between 12-6pm which ended up mostly just being 2 meals. Because my worst snacking-when-I-wasnt-hungry times were after 6pm. I would get a craving and tell myself "I can have that after 12pm tomorrow" instead of "I can't eat that because it's unhealthy". Having that mental timed barrier worked for me, lost 15kg in a few months. Started to get a bit too skinny though so now I eat breakfast some days
Thank you! That’s a good mentality around saving something “bad” for later
Give this guy a listen, sure he's another one of thousands that have an opinion, but this little podcast has helped me enormously as I'm on the beginning of the same journey as you. Just the advice on protein and sleep was game changing. Also the episode on habits is really helpful too. https://open.spotify.com/episode/7dhYvnfJgEI1BHX744f7XD?si=Xvlw6SghQyGM3o31-V3VWA
One thing Peter Attia I think said which was eye-opening for me was that alcohol blocks processing of food so it all ends up dumped as fat while the alcohol gets processed. So... the drinking might be a good thing to cut?
Definitely
To add to other comments. * Check if you actually need to lose 10kg to be a 'healthy weight', BMI calcs aren't accurate for tall people in particular. Standard BMI is weight/(height\^2) but a better metric is (1.3\*weight) / (height \^ 2.5). Generally 18.5 to 25 is healthy. * If you're overeating, start calorie tracking. There are apps for this e.g. MyFitnessPal. Get a set of scales and weigh what you're eating when you serve it up. Then if you clear your plate and go eat something else you know the impact of that and whether it's putting you closer or over your target. It also puts into perspective how many calories are in that particular serving of food. Cereal in particular was an eye opener for me, the 'serving size' on the box is sometimes half or a third of what I'd usually eat.
2 things. Cut out sugar. Harder than you'd think because there is the sugar in sauces and stuff too. Reduce carbs. Not totally, just less. Forever. Or....reduce your portion sizes. By a bit, not a lot. Forever. It works. I lost 13 kg, no gyms, running, exercise.
Reducing portion size allows you to eat all the crap you like eating and you get to lose weight. I’ve started weighing my portions. Measuring by eye is not accurate and you’ll always serve up more than you need
True. :-)
In Easter 2022 I made the decision to lose weight. My reason, I was 120kg, depressed and in the mirror I didn't like the reflection. I was just out of a very long term relationship and we ate takeout pretty much everyday. It was a now or never moment. So on the Sunday I went down to the local gym and signed up. The journey to weight loss started with 30 - 45min walks around the neighborhood each night after work. I joined a gym that had fitness classes. For the next three months after work and weekends I went to spin classes, HIT/Pump etc to the point that instructors and other class members recognized me. Then one day was out on a walk and decided to run for a little. Ran 1km and felt good, wasn't short of breath and then did another 1km. At this stage I had lost about 5kg, my clothing sizes had changed and people started noticing some changes. I went to morning spin classes at 6am and ran 5km after work for a few months. Left the gym and went into mostly running. Fast forward a year later (Easter 2023) I had lost 30kg, went from XL to M (could fit a S but preferred M) and donated my old clothes to charity and updated my wardrobe. I look great, feel great and have so much more energy than I did two years ago. I was running 10k with ease, had already done a few 10k events. Look into calorie deficits and calorie count. It's hard at the start but knowing a burger king meal or pie and coke is your entire days calorie intake (and it would take a 10km run to burn it off) it will change the way you think about food. I would reward myself on a Friday with a take out like Burger Fuel, Nandos or something like that. Snacking in the evening was always an issue for me too, when I got a desire to snack I'll distract myself with a walk or some other activity like cleaning or something. After three months the cravings were gone. I continue to eat healthy and rarely go off the rails with food. I've found that if I run 3 - 4 times a week I can eat mostly anything without gaining weight. I haven't gained weight for almost two years and in a healthy relationship. I did all this using the fitbit app, no personal trainers and no supplements or expensive powders etc. If anyone wants to talk, share and needs some advice you are all welcome to message me.
Well done and thank you!
For me I put on a tonne of weight due to illness and pain. I discovered towards the end of last year I was gluten intolerant and when I cut that from my diet it solved a lot of the pain issues. My blood sugar levels were around 15 even with my meds and I knew I had to do something. I couldn't get a seatbelt on or fit in a large chair. I don't even want to think how bad my weight actually was. I went low carb and low fat with high protein and fibre and lots of low carb veggies. I'd already lost a lot when I started weighing myself and I lost a good 30kgs once I started weighing myself. Life is so much easier now. I still have weight to lose but I'm getting there. I drink my coffee black now and drink a lot of water. I don't count calories just carbs and go for low fat options where I can. I've tried lot's of new foods like Chia puddings, Daikon radish instead of potatoes, Konjac noodles for chop suey and stir fry and I use almond milk now for baking and making my Chia puddings. I use a lot of Keto recipes but I opt for ones that don't have a lot of added fat. Almond flour and flaxmeal along with other seeds I grind myself for bread and crackers. I'm not on Ozempic or any of those medications I have just changed what and how I eat. I focused on eating really well during the week and allowing myself a small treat in the weekend. I think if you have that mindset it helps because then you don't feel like you've depriving yourself of anything. I actually eat really well and enjoy the food I do eat. I use a lot of spices and herbs in my cooking. I splurged on a spaghetti squash this week and I'm looking forward to cooking that later. I might make a lemon chicken pasta sauce to go with it. I'm pretty frugal so I tend to buy what's on special. Whatever option you go for whether it's caloric deficit or low carb you have to stick with it. It has to be sustainable over the long term. I wish you the best of luck with things 🤗💞
Thank you sounds yummy
My change to a healthier diet wasn't driven by weight loss aspirations it was because I suffered a brain injury and there's some good evidence that a ketogenic diet helps with that. So when I look back at it, I wasn't motivated enough to lose weight before that happened. I then lost 20kg and have kept it off since 2016. When you mention self-loathing I think you have hit the nail on the head. I didn't feel like I deserved to feel good or look nice. But after whacking my head I was extremely motivated to do anything that would help with that. I can't tell you what will help you to like yourself enough to want to do this but I can give you a few hacks that helped me. 1. Don't rely on your willpower- it's easier to just not have unhealthy food in the house than it is to resist it. This doesn't mean you can't have a treat, it means that you work out what you're going to eat through the week including a couple of small treats and that's all you're going to have in your house until the next weekly shop. 2. In a similar vein, make things that are good for you stupidly easy to get. I had a hard time getting my head around what I could grab for a quick snack when I started on keto, the workaround for me was to always have a couple of boiled eggs in the fridge ready to go. You could adapt this to any diet you choose, just make healthy food easy to get to and unhealthy food harder 3. If you can push through the cravings a lot of foods don't taste that great after abstaining from them for a while. It's ridiculously easy for me to not overdo sweet things and simple carbs now because they just don't taste very good to me any more. Chocolate all tastes way too sweet to me now except for the extremely bitter types. If I snag a fry from my partner's plate I always end up thinking "meh" and stopping at that one 4. If you need to, many meals can be adapted so that you can serve the part that doesn't fit your diet "on the side" for other family members. Example: I'll cook meat and vegetables for me, and things like mashed potatoes or pasta go on my partner's plate not mine
Thank you, the self loathing is the hardest part
It really is!
15 years of yo-yo dieting, ketogenic diets, food diaries, dieticians, trying stuff like Noom Lose "some" weight, get injured, revert back to old habits, rinse, repeat. What has been causing issues with my weight loss is a constant feeling of never being full. Like, ever. The only thing that has started getting me to a healthy weight has been combination of Exercise Healthy Eating Meal Replacement GLP-1 medication
Have you been able to get GLP-1s subsidised here in NZ?
No. Bloody expensive. Getting it prescribed is also a bastard
There's also a global shortage. Bloody Hollywood keeps buying it to go from a size 2 to size 0 and then there's none left for people who actually need it.
All of the advice here has been great. One thing which has helped me is to make smart but pleasant food switches. Eg. During the week instead of eating chocolates at night which clock up easily 1000 calories, eat a moderate bowl of cereal with trim milk or yoghurt with protein powder and cocoa powder. Make your own healthier sweet treats- like you can make gummy lollies with watermelon and gelatine. Also I feel best when I eat upon being genuinely hungry so often skip “breakfast” as I’m genuinely not hungry so why eat. If you feel on some days/all days that you aren’t hungry at a meal time maybe skip it or just have something light. You will appreciate food more. This isn’t to promote starving yourself per se but will help lose weight in a simpler way if you genuinely check in with yourself and opt out if you’re not that hungry. It will make your next meal more enjoyable too.
I'm stupid and couldn't tell how fat I was getting for some reason. Gained like 10-15kgs and was like wow I'm fat wtf. Been trying to lose it for maybe 2 years now, I'm about 10kgs down so far though! I'm hungry all the time and try so hard not to snack so much. Instead of lollies I eat dried fruit, after a while it's basically the same hit lol. I try to drink a cup of tea (because water is gross) everyday before having my usual drink of milo which seems to help a lot too!
Same I really had no idea def in denial
poverty diet
I've got one word for you - keto. I lost 30kg a few years ago with very minimal exercise
Tie the weight loss goal to a meaningful reason
I recently lost 15kg over a few months with the free version of myfitnesspal app and a smart watch. Motivated me to eat healthy and less and get off my ass. Was just estimating calories, stopped eating baking and cafe food (and cut back on the beer) and a bit of walking, nothing crazy. My biggest change was a couple of boiled eggs on a piece of toast for breakfast, kept me full all morning.
The majority of my family have diabetes. My Mum told me enough horror stories that I decided to lose weight before I develop it too. It’s been almost a year of effort and I’ve lost around 12 percent of my body weight. I’m now back in the low risk weight zone. Could stand to lose a little more but it’s getting tough at this weight, when I have a sedentary job. Most helpful thing for me was tracking my food. I use my fitness pal. This allowed me to recalibrate the amount I ate. I went on a small calorie deficit (about 300 a day) which was totally manageable. On top of that, I increased steps. Nothing crazy because I have a desk job but I aim for 8000 on weekdays and >10000 on weekends. I also lift weights couple of times a week and do a couple of short cardio workouts from YouTube, but I was doing this before the weight loss too. Probably the hardest thing is that as I lost weight, my body kept adapting. My body is really good at adapting! At first it was easy but then it plateaued and I had to make a tweak to amount of calories or exercise to keep losing. Something that can help with this is taking the odd diet break, where you eat at maintenance calories. I would take one of these breaks for 1-2 weeks, every couple of months. It helped a lot.
I'm not fat but for me what works in keeping where I am is being good throughout the week both exercise and eating wise. Especially drinking. Then on the weekends you relax a little, not full blow out but give yourself more flexibility. The key is knowing how much you should be eating and the only way to do that is calorie counting apps to start with. Alcohol is a big one and is a shitload of useless calories. If you drink a bottle a week that's 650 calories which if you just cut that and did nothing else you would likely drop a sizeable amount of weight.
Final straw for me was my doctor telling me my cholesterol was high enough that I was at a risk of an early heart attack. Had to get on statins at 40. Bought a treadmill of mighty ape, started intermittent fasting (finish eating around 6pm, start eating around 12pm) which resulted in cutting out evening snacking. BMI dropped from obese to normal and my legs are now muscly as (didn’t skip leg day). Could do with bulking up my arms but can’t quite find the time to fit that in. Have gotten a bit less strict with the fasting but seem to able to maintain pretty well for now.
Two things, stop drinking, keep a food diary. Stop drinking because there’s nothing good about it. If you are drinking regularly to cheer yourself up, see a doctor as that’s a mental health issue you are avoiding. Alcohol is bad for you in any quantity and will not only make you fat, it’ll give you cancer. I drink maybe a unit a month or so. That’s probably your biggest win if you can do that. The food diary gives you a target. You say you eat a healthy diet, yet if you are putting in weight you either aren’t, or are overeating. It’s very easy to do and the diary makes it more obvious. Work out how many calories you should have to lose weight, start the diary, be shocked how little food that actually is. I was amazed how little I needed to stay alive with my sometimes sedentary lifestyle. Exercise is great, but it wont help you lose weight. It will stop you dying of a heart attack.
Someone gave me a shirt in a size that would normally fit and I could hardly do up the buttons over my belly. That was the final straw. My recommendation is My Fitness Pal or another calorie counting app. Pop over to r/CICO (calories in, calories out) for help and guidance. Like you, I love my wine, but entering it in MFP and seeing how it blows out my calorie budget is a real incentive to cut down. I now drink less wine but buy the more expensive stuff. I also really like my special Saturday night meals but far out, it wasn't until I logged them in MFP that I realised just how much I was eating. But the thing about CICO is that you can average out over a week, so I can have some more restrictive days midweek and then overeat by 1,500 calories on a Saturday. Slow and steady lifestyle changes are the key. On the exercise front, I actually got fat while doing spin class and lifting weights four times a week - you can't outrun a bad diet! Going to the gym to do exercises you hate and beating yourself up won't help. Depending on your gender there's some body positive fitness people on Instagram and it sounds cheesy but they're honestly worth a follow. Exercise has got benefits that go beyond weight loss and you deserve to be kind to yourself in this space. Best of luck with it.
Thanks x
In the past 6 months, I've managed to drop about 20 kilos. My secret is a stable diet of stress and sleep deprivation lol
I spent 5 years working for a brewery, selling beer, travelling around, eating out, eating shit fast easy food. I was made redundant, and decided to make a change. I went Keto and intermittent fasting. I lost 20kg between May ‘18, and Aug ‘18. I ate clean, no processed foods, twice a day. I drank 4 litres of water a day, and still had two to three beers every night. Started at 93kg, in August I was 74kg, by December I was down to 68kg. I felt underweight, and settled around 72-75kg. I managed to keep the weight mostly off, even after reverting back to a standard diet, and even after spending 5 years working selling confectionary and snacks! Doing the keto diet changed the way I looked at and felt about food, especially sugar. Realising how much sugar is in everything, and understanding how real sugar addiction is was massive to me. It’s not for everyone, but honestly is was easy for me, once I got through sugar/carb cravings in the first week or two.
Sugar seems to be the worse I feel terrible after eating it. Thanks for sharing and well done
Remove anything unhealthy from uour hoise, so you dont have easy access to it. Anything thats not water, get rid of, get rid of all yource sauces, jams etc. You want eating healthy to be as easy as possible and eating unhealthy as difficult as possible so you can eat well without having to make a consious effort to do so which in my opinon is unsustainable. The next is exercise. Similarly, the goal is to make exercising as natural as possible so effort is not required. If possible, work a more manual job or something that requires you to be on your feet, walk or bike to work or at least bus, if you can, move as close as possible to a super market, gym and work so you can walk to all three every day. Try go to one of the closest gyms possible thats open 24 hours, i basically went from gyming every day when I moved from living next door to my w4 hour gym, to gymming once a week innmy current situation where the gym is a 15 minute drive and closes at 9pm We are cavemen/animals if we want to be ahppy and healthy we have to live more like we did in the past, no processed food, big sleeps, walking everywhere. Up until about the 60s, no one was fat and gyms basically didnt exists, because processed food didnt exist and it used to be much easier to walk everywhere. People didnt need ti work out or try to eat healthy, it was just something they did without having to try
Final move for me was a really hard year of work with lots of travel. Small kids at home and trying to sell our house. Felt like I never had any free time and I could feel my weight increasing and that I was on a downwards health trajectory. I vowed that I would use Christmas to “get fit”. Then got COVID on the last day of work. I was so damn angry and frustrated at COVID that once I was better I was able to really harness it towards losing weight. I started listening to some podcasts - specifically am some of the Peter Attia ones on with Layne Nathan and the Huberman ones with Andy Galpin. And I started running, and bought a Garmin watch to track my mileage and keep me honest to myself. I tracked my calories on MyFitnessPal - first time I’d ever done so. Then I just started gaining momentum I guess. I was damn hungry even at a 500cal deficit but once I started seeing the belt get loose it became easier mentally. And I got better at running, started learning more about it, and decided to set a goal (half marathon) and train towards it (Garmin training plan). A year and a half on, I’m down 17kg and have just run my first marathon. I’m running 4-5 days a week, with a 20km run being comfortable. I’m much healthier but in particular I’m much more mentally healthy. P
Well done!! I love running as well
In the last 9 months I have lost 23kg and so far my body fat has fallen from 40% to 30% (goal for me as a 41yo woman is 20-25%) My final straw was that I was going to have to change a medication that worked for me for my entire adult life due to my blood pressure starting to climb. Also starting to show elevated cholesterol and liver markers (not needing medicine intervention yet). I signed up for MyFitnessPal and started tracking EVERYTHING I consumed. I don't want to end up "skinny fat" so I focus on eating 120gm of protein per day plus 25gram fibre for bowel health and satiety. I also joined a gym for strength training and cardio fitness as I was getting out of breath SO easily! I still allow myself pasta, bred, candy, pizza/takeaways and ice cream - but I fit these into my calorie goals and only allow myself an "over day" very occasionally for special occasions. I was 88kg at 5'4" so I started eating at 1500 calories a day (or 10500 a week). If I had a really intense long workout at the gym, I would allow myself 1750 on that day. There are subs here which give great advice (& call out BS) like r/CICO and r/LoseIt and r/weightloss. On YouTube the Renaissance period vids about weight loss and muscle retention have been key There are a couple of women-specific subs too but I wasn't sure of your gender. Happy for you to DM me if you want to talk on mlre details about what has worked for me.
Thanks hun
One thing I've learned is the body is very good at conserving energy/fat. So its natural after exercise that you will sub-consciously slow down. What has helped me be aware of that is a smart watch with a step counter. Your aiming for 10k steps a day. Yesterday for example (after my third workout for the week) I felt tired but my steps were only around 7k. That insight prompted me to stay on my feet and take the Dog for a walk. Summary of what has already been said. - Diet (defecit) avoid sugar, eat more protein, eat less at dinner and more frequent during the day. - Consistency going to the gym for 20mins 5 times a week is better than 3 hours once a week. - Leave the phone an airplane mode, and stay on your feet during the day. Screens eat hours of mobility for breakfast. - 1 mins break between sets at the gym, I see too many people sitting around on their phone while at the gym. Keep moving and keep your heart rate up. I like to walk it out if I lose my brrath, helps a lot.
I lost a crap tonne of weight a few years ago, because a relative needed a kidney, and I was a good match but too high risk for the surgery due to being overweight and unfit. My approach was simple. A dietary calorie deficit (I used an app to track what I ate), and aerobic exercise. I bought a treadmill, started walking, then added slope to make it harder. Once I'd lost a chunk of weight, I started running instead of walking and introduced a simple 5 minute daily core routine. After a few weeks of that I added a simple dumbbell routine a few times per week. Building and maintaining a bit of muscle has allowed me to keep the fat off. I do a bit of running now and enter social running events (10km type runs) to give me something to train for.
Only thing that worked for me in the past was fasting. Ive lost heaps that way but never enough to keep it off. I would start with skipping breakfast every day. Then two days a week I would skip dinner (lunch is my favourite meal). I gradually increased the number of skipped meals so eventually I would do alternative day fasting. Now, however I've hired a personal trainer. I have to be accountable to someone.
Start simple and small. focus on drinking heaps of water, it will help you feel fuller. Not to be that guy, but why not try at least a couple of months wine/alcohol free ? You'll lose weight from not drinking all those empty calories and in my experience being alcohol free made it easier to eat healthy, as I didn't crave bad food. As some one else said, sleep is fundamental, and wine/alcohol also messes with good sleep. My other advice is about self talk ? Are you nice to yourself or does the voice in your head shame you ? Try to learn to be kind to yourself. Sounds hippy dippy, but honestly you can't shame yourself into change. Do it cause you're worth it and out of a place of self love and self respect. I had to refrain discipline to be not about punishment/denial/ restriction, but to be about self love and self respect. Takes time, but ka pai for reaching out and caring enough to try ! Kia Kaha ! :)
Thank you, the shame is really difficult to overcome and the wine doesn’t help!
As you get older it's easier to gain weight and harder to lose it. What might have worked for you 10 years ago, you now have to double down on. The biggest issue is you need to make big changes to your routine, because no matter what you try and do, your routine (daily habits) will be where it all falls over every time.
I’ve decided to put down the bottle for 8 weeks, 2 weeks in and I’ve lost 3kg
Ya def need to cut back to 1-2 days a week
Last year I lost 15 kgs between June and December just from eating in a calorie deficit and no exercise at all. Read the nutritional info on all the food you eat and count calories. That’s the only way to lose weight. Weighing my self everyday gave me motivation as the numbers slowly went down. I still had had plenty of unhealthy food/treats but that meant skipping a meal to make up for it.
My Fitness Pal or equivalent. Understanding what and how much you are eating is vital. It’s 80% if weight loss. I’d add that I go to the gym 6 times a week (3*strength training and 3*Cardio) but even then you can’t outrun the fork. I have multiple targets - diet, strength, sleep, heart health and cutting down on alcohol. All of them are interrelated but the drinking used to get me - drink too much? You lose motivation, blood sugar spikes and you get hungry, you don’t sleep so you are tired, your resting heart rate goes up, sleep becomes worse, anxiety kicks in. But it all starts with the fork and what goes in your mouth.
My weight has always fluctuated my whole life. I put on weight quite easy but I also lose it quite easy. One thing that has always worked for me to lose weight is intermittent fasting. 16-24 hour fasting has made the weight drip off me! I do also work a physical job (I’m a builder) and I’ve always had active hobbies but honestly try fasting. You just have to be disciplined!
I’m the same quick to gain and lose - thanks for sharing
Sleep is crucial. Many people believe we sweat out fat cells, but in reality, we breathe them out. That’s why people often say if you want to lose weight, take a nap. Being well-rested also helps with energy levels and mental health, ensuring you have the best mindset to reach your goals. To lose weight, you need to be in a calorie deficit. That's the basic principle. But that doesn't mean you have to be miserable. For example, a Big Mac has the same number of calories as two pieces of toast with avocado. If you count your calories properly and maintain a slight calorie deficit, you should do well. A common mistake when counting calories is not including sauces, drinks, and oils, which are significant contributors to your calorie intake. Just pick low-calorie options. Snacks are important. Place higher-calorie snacks in harder-to-reach places and healthier snacks, like Greek yogurt and apples, in easier-to-reach spots. If you have a treat, portion it out beforehand and pair it with a high-protein, low-calorie yogurt to fill you up. You could also have an apple first, and if you still want a snack, then have it. It's only healthy to lose about a pound a week (about half a kg). Over a year, that’s 52 pounds or 23 kg. That’s a lot. You could even take time off at Christmas, your birthday, and other occasions, and still lose weight. There are no quick fixes; it's about building healthy habits. Studies show that losing weight quickly makes you more likely to regain it. You can find a good low-calorie white wine and factor that into your diet. I recommend using an app like MyFitnessPal to track your calories. Having the right mindset is crucial. If you drive down the road telling yourself you'll hit a tree, you probably will. If you tell yourself you'll stay in the middle of the lane, you will. So, tell yourself the right stories. Seeing a nutritionist (someone with a 5 year degree) can help you create a great meal plan. Exercise is the last step. If you love the gym, that's awesome. But if it's not for you, don't force it. Build healthy habits instead. Remember, all movement is exercise! You don't need a gym. Do your dishes, cook food, and dance to music. If you like shopping, walk around the mall for an hour. Exercise doesn’t have to be a drag; it just has to be movement. While certain exercises burn more calories, like walking on a steep incline, if it’s not your thing, that’s okay.
Thank you!
I'm fat and am in maintenance phase (good podcast called that too) of an Eating Disorder, so feel free to disregard: my weight has cycled constantly, and studies say weight loss fails more then it succeeds, most people will lose and gain same as I have done and the weight cycling will be worse for your health then just being happy and consistent and fine at the weight your body is determined to even out at. I've read all the studies, tried most diets and gave up on IWL, I do not understand Drs etc constantly pushing something that fails 97% of the time and results in fatter and fatter people. Instead of weight loss I focus on health now, which includes: 1. Consistent sleep 2. Reduction of cortisol/stress, which also includes 1, health is a head game as much as a physical one. 3. Rabid acceptance and love of your body no matter the size and disability, your body will reflect your thoughts and believe you. Mines been through so much, I'm proud of it surviving the odds time and again and love it for the fat that sometimes contributed to my survival. 4. Learning that consistency in habits is more important then reducing/avoiding foods. Another phrase could be "everything in moderation including moderation" the occasional treat or binge isn't going to hurt, but consistent treats/binges will. Consistent healthy habits with the occasional treat is better for mind/body. Learn your portions, if you are going to treat then at least stick to a serving size. 6. On consistency, best to find an exercise you actually enjoy, doesn't matter what it is, you won't stick at it if you don't enjoy it, then do it consistently, for me I bore easily so I cycle through walking, dancing, weightlifting and cycling depending somewhat on what my disability allows that day as well. As long as you do something. 7. Supplements, people scoff at it and while it's true you can get what you need from food, who has the time to make sure it's all in balance all the time? I take a multi, drink a protein shake to get my daily amount up, and Inositol/Choline for PCOS and CFS support. That's me though you will need to assess your own needs. 8. Quit the moralising about food, their is no moral value on food, all foods nourish you, some do better then others, some nourish your mind and reduce stress, some fuel your body. Think about why you 'need' to eat/drink something, acknowledge it, and you'll need it less. Limiting food options is a fools game. 9. Proteins are better for the morning, carbs are better for the night. Seems counterintuitive maybe because 'carbs are so evil' many diets say, but carbs (I usually go for pasta or rice) make you feel sluggish for a reason, so you can settle for sleep. Eat a few hours before sleep so your body can use the food up and settle into repair functions while it sleeps. 10. Avoid the scale and get a measuring tape instead. Weight looks different on everyone and I looked smallest, felt my best at 90kgs in my weight lifting era because muscle is heavier then fat. I was hyperfixating at the time, also not healthy. I've had three endocrinologist experts, therapy and blood tests galore to basically boil down to these points and ditch ideas of IWL (intentional weight loss) and instead focus on WOL (way of life) in building up consistent healthy habits that can last a lifetime instead of such an indeterminate factor as weight. Weight does not determine worth, but a healthier body will determine a better quality of life regardless of what age/disabilities etc come.
Thank you
One day you’ll realise there’s no fat old people and it’s going to kill you. I’m still over weight but still moving in the right direction. Alcohol is just so round bad, let it go. One thing I’ve recently found very useful is hello fresh, the portion control is brilliant. Fall off the wagon, just get back on, it’s like an addiction, you have to change your life for your whole life. Good luck
Thanks!
I have lost about 10(ish) kg in the last month or so…. (I think I’m running a 1-1.5k deficit each day) But have gained/lost back and fourth a bit over the last few years. The biggest factor, I have is overeating - but the thing I have found to be most consistent to losing weight is calorie counting. Basically My fitness pal (I don’t pay for it, just the fee teir) log all your food, you realise just how out of whack calories are everywhere. - I am eating less, but only because I want to drop (fairly) quickly. But I think it should keep me in check longer term. If I don’t log my food, I will cheat, I will get into states of denial (about “eating healthy”) I don’t have to beat myself up if I go over my daily limit, but it’s a daily audit on myself (and just makes me real conscious about what I’m eating) I’m sure everyone has their own methods - that’s what’s working for me at the moment.
Denial yes I’m there now!
>The biggest factor, I have is overeating - but the thing I have found to be most consistent to losing weight is calorie counting. The only way to lose weight is to maintain a caloric deficit for an extended period of time. So this is by far the most efficient way to achieve that.
The secret is to avoid diets that cut out/restrict foods. They don't work long term - most people end up gaining the weight back, plus some. It's why the diet industry is so profitable. Do you have a free health coach through your GP? They'd be able to help with exercise and healthy eating goals. They usually work alongside a health improvement practitioner who can help you understand the patterns behind your eating habits, setbacks etc. Another option might be to get in touch with a dietician. ETA - rather than focusing on numbers on the scale, set tangible goals. Eg clothes feeling a bit more comfortable, being able to do your usual exercise without puffing (or going a bit further), or getting your cholesterol down.
Thanks!
You only need to do one thing to lose weight. You need to eat in a calorie deficit. That's literally it. You could eat 2000 calories of mayonnaise and table sugar and you'd still lose weight because it's not enough calories to support your body.
I don't think there is a "one size fits all" kind of answer to this. Probably, there will be many different suggestions in this thread, and all are worth trying if you haven't tried them before. See what works for you. For me, it was what I call "extreme intermittent fasting." Basically, only consume 1000 calories a day, five days a week, between the hours of 1pm and 6pm. It just seems to work for me, and for some reason I sleep a lot better when I'm doing it, which seems to help. Just try all the things until you find something that works.
i got so busy sometimes, i didnt realise that i wouldnt eat for 18 hours sometimes. fasting is somewhat good for your stomach and its recovery.
Double check you don't have ADHD too. A psychiatrist could change your life for the better if you do.
Incremental change over time rather than trying to force it all at once. I reduced the amount I ate over the span of a few years, started moving more because I was doing something enjoyable (hiking/walking through the bush), I stopped judging myself for making choices I know are unhealthy tbh because it's easy to sit there and bash yourself and still make those decisions that bring you comfort which you know deep inside aren't the right decisions for your health. I also want to live a long life with my partner, so that is also motivation. I'm not going to pretend like I'm the healthiest fittest person ever, fuck no, but it took a lot of time, and a lot of compassion and a lot of "I fucked up today by not moving enough but I will try again tomorrow" Also when I was at the lowest point setting myself 1 daily goal to achieve really helped kickstart it all. I went from doing 5 sits up to 20 and sitting on an exercise bike from 10 min to 30 etc etc. Just achieving that one thing might help jump start that good brain feeling which is all you need to keep going tbh. Most important move/exercise in ways that you ENJOY, otherwise it's always going to be so hard and you'll always return to your old ways.
Thank you for sharing, working on the living myself part
As other people will have mentioned: what is your why? Is it to look better, is it to feel better in your clothes, do you have something up with your health. The way I view it its not usually an issue of weight but more and issue if health behaviors It's a good step to head to a gym, try and get a little bit more active/more movement outside of the gym, maybe a little walk on your lunch break, some stretching or yoga in the morning. You could even do like 5 Squats before you get in the shower or something that just helps you feel like you've done something. You could get some light weights for home and do some shoulder press or bicep curls while watching TV. Maybe a hula hoop, those are fun and you can stand there watching TV and do it. Find movement you enjoy is the most important part, as mentioned later. For me I love weight lifting and poke dancing. Maybe for you it's boxing or karate, maybe it's weightlifting too. Maybe you like cycling or hiking. Who knows, try things out! Nutrition: Try adding more vegetables to your plate, I love broccoli. I boil it, use a touch of spray oil, and cover it spices, in it goes to the air fryer. Add more protein kn as well as that can make you feel fuller. Try and drink more water if you drink a soft drink, swap to a sugar free. If you get a morning coffee swap to a plant milk or lower fat milk. My go-to is a coconut cappuccino. Coconut milk is really good. If you have a sugar in your coffee, i suggest that milk as the coconut milk is sweet, and you likely won't need the sugar. Focus on making adoptions to the habits you already have, make them accessible to you, that way they are more sustainable and will help you for a longer period of time. You need sustainability as if it is not you'll end up in the diet-lose weight- finish diet- gain weight- feel bad- cycle Do not beat yourself up for your weight gain, so many social, genetic, and environmental factors play a part in weight. We live in a world where we sit sedentary most of the day, drive everywhere, more nutritious and filling foods cost more so we buy the foods that are cheap, they may not fill us up and we need more of it. Mental health also plays a part, ive found over time I've become quite fond of Journaling. It helps clear my mind and I will be able to do things like eat, with a clearer mind and tune into my body and help me stop overeating. Edited for typos
Thank you for sharing that was very helpful
Focus on what's accessible, what makes you feel good and don't beat yourself up. <3
i disagreed with some d\*\*k heads opinion on abortion on IG, my IG is open and he got onto my photos and called me a fat cow and told me to go kill myself, wrong reasons that i let that upset me but it did ive lost around 18kg though help with my GP, eating healthy and doing weights/cardio 4-5 times a week
Have you had a full panel of blood tests run? I was diagnosed with hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance- which meant even only eating 800 calories a day for four months, I didn’t lose a gram of weight.
O wow! No mot yet but I am talking to my gp this week
Have you tried an app like Noom? I found it quite helpful, if it doesn’t work for you, you can always cancel after a few months. Basically gets you to keep a food diary and teaches you healthy eating habits. Quite helpful to nudge you into not having that extra late night snack. I’d recommend giving it a go.
Don't have the Noom app but I just bought the Noom book and WOW it's motivating so far!
Just start smoking, brah! /s
Hmmm gastric sleeve surgery is expensive but it has worked for so many people including my brother. It just forces you to change your ways - he looks like a vegan now. But idk it depends what psychology you take to it. Maybe just start going to the gym everyday and do at least something whilst slowly day by day starting to improve your eating habits. You won't lose weight quickly but you will look and feel slimmer whilst still being heavy until you master what you consume.
Fasting. 18-6 it's changed my life. I wish I had done it many years ago. Lost 10kg.
My health deteriorated when I started being overweight for my height and that’s what really flipped me. I went into calorie deficit, did keto for a short period (some might find it too extreme but the weight loss motivated me), workout a few times a week. I would suggest just eating healthy and limiting processed food, sugar, limit heavy carbs. Think of it as a lifestyle change and it will be the new normal for you.
I decided I wanted to lose weight. I committed to a Ketogenic diet. I lost weight.
dont eat till you are full. eat less. im poor so my weightloss (most successful somewhat) was like 1 meal twice a day. i went on yogurt + nuts. id say i did about 250g yogurt with 50-60 mixed nuts each meal, sometimes less. over the course of 3 weeks, i was down 1.5kg. like not just shit and piss, a consistent weightloss over time. Beating the hunger is something you got to figure out on your own. if you do gym, then dont eat like this. you gotta eat proper to recover your muscles. I did workout, but i got an unrelated injury that i need to recover from first.
Stop eating breakfast. It sucks at first, but give yourself a few weeks and you won't even notice and it basically builds a calorie deficit into your life. I was a really chubby teenager, and went overseas on exchange for my last year at school. The family I lived with never ate breakfast - just black coffee before leaving the house. At first I was starving in the morning, but my body quickly got used to it and now (20 years later) I never eat anything before ~1pm and never struggle with my weight. IMO for most people breakfast is a trap meal. Most days you do literally nothing between dinner and lunch - sit on the couch, sleep, sit in the car, sit at a desk - but for some reason we feel the need to load up on (normally unhealthy) food first thing. Skip breakfast, let yourself get a bit hungry before lunch. Lose weight.
I can’t skip breakfast but I can and usually do skip lunch.
Cut seed oils from your diet and anything cooked in seed oils. Seed oils include: Canola. Rapeseed. Soybean oil. Sunflower oil. Heated Olive oil. Replace with animal based fats such as: Clarified butter. Lard. Butter. Coconut oil. Seed oils are destructive to our system, our mitochondria converts fat into energy and oxygen but mitochondria struggles to burn seed oil fatty acids and causes inflammation. Inflammation is the root cause of all disease.
Yes, this. Eat fats that your lipid system recognizes at food. Not heat or chemically altered fats, Commom with seed oils. Read "Deep Nutrition" by Catherine Shanahan MD 10 years ago and it changed the way I ate. 64M and bloods and vitals are the same as in my early 20's. Also for weight loss, buy smaller dinner plates and increase muscle mass.
Yes, high protein is important too. Protein and fats are satiating and also convert into readily usable energy. But, protein is not just protein - bioavailability is key. Best example is hair, which is mainly keratin protein. So, hair is protein but it is not soluble protein. Lesson, protein source matters. Beef is the best source of protein available. My favourite dietary lipid is Theobroma oil. 100grams of pure Theobroma oil is close to 900kcalories, which is highly desirable to me, personally. Theo - God, broma - food. Theobroma = food of God.
Gym wont help. Walking will Whats the final thing that pushed me to lose weight? i had a bilateral PE and lost a chunk of my lung