What nobody tells you about losing weight
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The main one is that hunger never goes away. It stays. I have to learn to live with hunger. I have found ways to make it more tolerable, I no longer get pains, nausea and dry-spill vomiting, but the hunger stays. Since hunger is what made me fat in the first place, I have to find ways to live with it and while it gets less difficult, it does not become pleasant. It looks as if the discomfort is there to stay until I snuff it. It is a different discomfort than the one I had when being fat, but it is a discomfort nevertheless and it is unpleasant.
My bones hurt more than before. I hate my exercise bike even more now than in the beginning, almost 60 kg ago. It just hurts. Even walking hurts more now as there is less padding on the bottom of my feet.
Sleeping is more difficult. Pillows don't help. Cushions don't do anything. Winnie the Pooh helped for a while, but no longer.
I can now really feel my xiphoid and my tailbone. The first one doesn't really bother me, the second one makes it difficult to work without being distracted because it hurts. Since I still have some way to go, I expect it to become even harder and that is not a pleasant perspective. I can also feel my collar bones. In the past, I only realised I had those from studying anatomy. Fortunately, that doesn't bother me.
My shoes are bigger now. I need slightly smaller ones. My glasses fit better than in the past. Masks now hurt more quickly since there is less padding around my ears.
Also: my fingers are significantly thinner. They used to look œdemic. No longer.
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Nobody tells you ---We are all different.
I have been on my new life plan for 727 days. The hunger DID go away for me.
I have trained myself to eat more low-calorie healthy foods. My body's need for more food has become less and less. Sometimes I have to eat because it is time to fuel my body and not because I am hungry.
I have lost 62 pounds slowly amidst back disk & bilateral hip surgery. My muscles are stronger now. My bones do not hurt now. I can walk 13-14,000 steps a day if I need to. I made the mental decision to eat smaller portions and healthier food while being more active for the REST OF MY LIFE.
You can do anything as long as you are committed to it. If you need help, be sure to seek it from a professional.
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Oooooh. Now I’m a victim of the dreaded Gateway Doublepost, too!!4
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@BartBVanBockstaele
Sometimes your body interprets dehydration as hunger. Are you staying hydrated? Try drinking a glass of water, wait ten minutes and see if the hunger goes away.
I was well in to my own weight loss before I learned this. It was very helpful.
I agree. It’s harder to get comfortable at night. I can’t seem to recapture the comfortable positions I slept in before I gained weight.
I guess that’s something nobody told me. 🤷🏻♀️5 -
@BartBVanBockstaele That sucks, dude. 😖 Even if you have found ways to manage the worst of it, with those extreme symptoms I'd certainly talk to a doctor about it (if you haven't already done so).7
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Morning Wood in your 40's lol5
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How much I've come to love "family style" restaurants. My weight loss has been focused more on macro nutrients and portion control rather than restricting certain foods. Social eating had become a problem since I would stress over what I would order at a restaurant that wasn't one of my go-to places. In my part of the U.S., family style means when they bring out food on large platters, place them in the middle of the table, and each person loads food onto a smaller plate. Since I'm able to control the portions, I can grab a mouthful of each thing I want, and it totals to a meal I would make myself without the social awkwardness of asking for a to-go box. Lots of variety!7
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springlering62 wrote: »Sometimes your body interprets dehydration as hunger. Are you staying hydrated? Try drinking a glass of water, wait ten minutes and see if the hunger goes awayspringlering62 wrote: »I agree. It’s harder to get comfortable at night. I can’t seem to recapture the comfortable positions I slept in before I gained weight.
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springlering62 wrote: »Sometimes your body interprets dehydration as hunger. Are you staying hydrated? Try drinking a glass of water, wait ten minutes and see if the hunger goes awayspringlering62 wrote: »I agree. It’s harder to get comfortable at night. I can’t seem to recapture the comfortable positions I slept in before I gained weight.
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springlering62 wrote: »Sometimes your body interprets dehydration as hunger. Are you staying hydrated? Try drinking a glass of water, wait ten minutes and see if the hunger goes awayspringlering62 wrote: »I agree. It’s harder to get comfortable at night. I can’t seem to recapture the comfortable positions I slept in before I gained weight.
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bobsburgersfan wrote: »That sucks, dude. 😖 Even if you have found ways to manage the worst of it, with those extreme symptoms I'd certainly talk to a doctor about it (if you haven't already done so).
And then something changed. When I had regained about 20 kg in December 2018, an endocrinologist told me to "watch my carbs" which is something I had never done before. I only tracked calories, protein and fibre. So, I stopped eating fruit, rice (which I love), bread (which I love), beans (which I love) ... while still eating vegetables and lean protein. I told the endocrinologist that I had cut it all out and I could add it back in later on and see what happened in the meantime.
Not to my surprise, the hunger was still there. However, very much to my surprise, it was more tolerable and losing weight became a more realistic option and I ran with it. We are now almost 30 kg later since my last regain (which means about 60 kg total) and I am inching towards what should be an ideal weight for the circumstances. Unfortunately, the hunger remains, so I have to be extremely vigilant. That said, it is tolerable. It is unpleasant and continuous, but it does not destroy my life. It simply makes it less pleasant than I would like.Nobody tells you ---We are all different.
I have been on my new life plan for 727 days. The hunger DID go away for me.
I have trained myself to eat more low-calorie healthy foods. My body's need for more food has become less and less. Sometimes I have to eat because it is time to fuel my body and not because I am hungry.
I have lost 62 pounds slowly amidst back disk & bilateral hip surgery. My muscles are stronger now. My bones do not hurt now. I can walk 13-14,000 steps a day if I need to. I made the mental decision to eat smaller portions and healthier food while being more active for the REST OF MY LIFE.
You can do anything as long as you are committed to it. If you need help, be sure to seek it from a professional.
And you are right, seeking help from a professional, a real one, is important.
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bobsburgersfan wrote: »That sucks, dude. 😖 Even if you have found ways to manage the worst of it, with those extreme symptoms I'd certainly talk to a doctor about it (if you haven't already done so).
And then something changed. When I had regained about 20 kg in December 2018, an endocrinologist told me to "watch my carbs" which is something I had never done before. I only tracked calories, protein and fibre. So, I stopped eating fruit, rice (which I love), bread (which I love), beans (which I love) ... while still eating vegetables and lean protein. I told the endocrinologist that I had cut it all out and I could add it back in later on and see what happened in the meantime.
Not to my surprise, the hunger was still there. However, very much to my surprise, it was more tolerable and losing weight became a more realistic option and I ran with it. We are now almost 30 kg later since my last regain (which means about 60 kg total) and I am inching towards what should be an ideal weight for the circumstances. Unfortunately, the hunger remains, so I have to be extremely vigilant. That said, it is tolerable. It is unpleasant and continuous, but it does not destroy my life. It simply makes it less pleasant than I would like.Nobody tells you ---We are all different.
I have been on my new life plan for 727 days. The hunger DID go away for me.
I have trained myself to eat more low-calorie healthy foods. My body's need for more food has become less and less. Sometimes I have to eat because it is time to fuel my body and not because I am hungry.
I have lost 62 pounds slowly amidst back disk & bilateral hip surgery. My muscles are stronger now. My bones do not hurt now. I can walk 13-14,000 steps a day if I need to. I made the mental decision to eat smaller portions and healthier food while being more active for the REST OF MY LIFE.
You can do anything as long as you are committed to it. If you need help, be sure to seek it from a professional.
And you are right, seeking help from a professional, a real one, is important.
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Fit2btied2016 wrote: »Excessive hunger can be a symptom of diabetes. The medical name for it is polyphagia. It can be one of the first symptoms. (Symptoms are subjective, versus signs which are objective).
There are a few things in your post that suggest a check-up with your MD might be in order. Be sure and tell your Doctor about your concerns and that you are actively losing weight.
Best wishes to you, and hope things settle down.
The amusing part is this: just as an insurance, I was given metformin, the standard drug given to (almost) anyone who is suspected to have diabetes. I loved it. I sang the praises of St. Metformin as much as I could... because I was convinced it helped me be less hungry and to lose weight. I read the studies, they say otherwise, so did the endocrinologist. Even the studies saying that metformin helps to lose weight have confounding factors and it is not clear at all it helps. More evidence came when the endocrinologist decided to stop the metformin. I was terrified. I begged him to let me back on if my situation changed. Well, nothing changed. I continued to be able to lose weight. Not easily, but tolerably. I still have a full jar of those metformin pills in my desk. I don't use them and (hopefully) never will.
In other words, the metformin did nothing. What did the trick was the attention I learned to pay to carbs. Is that certain? No. It could be a non-specific effect (placebo effect). However, that is very unlikely, because most placebo effects are small, unreliable and they are short-lived, they are nice to have if and when they occur, but they are not something any responsible doctor will ever rely on.
In the words of the endocrinologist: "It's just willpower". He was right. However, I should add to this that my willpower quite suddenly became a lot more "powerful" after he gave me his advice. In other words, in my case, and that only engages me and not necessarily anyone else, going low(er) carb is what did the trick. I now lost approximately 60 kg, with (probably) less than 10 kg to go. I am planning on looking for a DXA scan soon in order to have an idea of how far I should go.
The hunger is not fun, but I am resigned to it, because even though it is unpleasant, I can tolerate it and let's face it, there are many things in life that are unpleasant, so this is just one of them.Fit2btied2016 wrote: »P.S. For the mask issue behind your ears, try putting small pieces of gauze around the straps, folded up and tucked on the pressure points, or only wearing a mask when absolutely essential.Fit2btied2016 wrote: »A good pair of gel insoles will help with the walking, or perhaps a more supportive arch support for your shoes would help as well.
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Fit2btied2016 wrote: »Internet is going bonkers here, sorry for double posts.Fit2btied2016 wrote: »Anyway, hope things work out for you.Fit2btied2016 wrote: »I know for me and my situation, if I eat high carbs alone, I get really hungry in about 10 minutes. I have to eat lower carbs, and always with a protein source. I never eat protein alone, and I don't supplement it. Excess protein is also very hard to digest in the body. Protein is very hard on the kidneys.
Eggs and steak, or eggs and a sausage or ham are much better than me trying to survive on cold cereal in the mornings, for example. My husband is fine with it, but it's a waste of time (and sugar) for me.
I am not diabetic, but sugars and I don't get along, and I need to watch things like bread, etc. too. My system craves meat and vegetables the most, and that is what it does best with. Some natural fats, but again, easy on the carbs.
Try adding more fiber or vegetables like broccoli and see if that helps quell the hunger.
I think, but can certainly not prove, that the combination of low(er) digestible carbs and relatively high amounts of fibre containing foods, a.k.a. vegetables is what does it for me, but I have to remain vigilant: I do not eat fruit (as the Germans say: vegetables are the better fruit) because they have more sugar and because they are a trigger food for me. I also only eat low-carb vegetables and only if they are relatively high in fibre. So, I eat broccoli and spinach, for example, but stay away from daikon and zucchini because while they are very low in calories, they are also very low in fibre. I can just as well drink a glass of water, they do nothing for me.
I also do not use added oils, and haven't for years and years. Oil does nothing for me, except for making me fat. I do love nuts, seeds, avocadoes and cheese but I stay away from them because they are trigger foods and so high in calories that I can only eat ridiculously small amounts anyway. Why tempt fate? It is easier to simply abstain. I made that last decision in the beginning of this year and it gave me something I did not expect: food serenity. It just made my life so much easier and tolerable and easier to maintain and further reduce my weight. I still eat fat, but in the form of sardines, lupini beans and soybeans. Of course, even so-called fat-free vegetables still contain a tiny bit, as does coffee.Fit2btied2016 wrote: »I am also convinced that some food additives make me more hungry, and I definitely had bad experiences with medications wrecking my natural hunger cues.
There is one thing though. Loblaws sells a vegetable blend under the No Name brand, aptly named "mixed vegetables" that I really like. I scrapped it because it is high(ish) in calories and because it made me hungry, quite possibly due to the higher carb content as it contains lima beans and corn. I fully plan to try it again after I am on a stable and low-enough weight –for me. I hope it will work, I love that mixture.Fit2btied2016 wrote: »If I think I am hungry, I will have water first, and if I am still hungry in 10 minutes, then I know I need to eat food.
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Fit2btied2016 wrote: »BartBVanBockstaele wrote: »Fit2btied2016 wrote: »Internet is going bonkers here, sorry for double posts.Fit2btied2016 wrote: »Anyway, hope things work out for you.Fit2btied2016 wrote: »I know for me and my situation, if I eat high carbs alone, I get really hungry in about 10 minutes. I have to eat lower carbs, and always with a protein source. I never eat protein alone, and I don't supplement it. Excess protein is also very hard to digest in the body. Protein is very hard on the kidneys.
Eggs and steak, or eggs and a sausage or ham are much better than me trying to survive on cold cereal in the mornings, for example. My husband is fine with it, but it's a waste of time (and sugar) for me.
I am not diabetic, but sugars and I don't get along, and I need to watch things like bread, etc. too. My system craves meat and vegetables the most, and that is what it does best with. Some natural fats, but again, easy on the carbs.
Try adding more fiber or vegetables like broccoli and see if that helps quell the hunger.
I think, but can certainly not prove, that the combination of low(er) digestible carbs and relatively high amounts of fibre containing foods, a.k.a. vegetables is what does it for me, but I have to remain vigilant: I do not eat fruit (as the Germans say: vegetables are the better fruit) because they have more sugar and because they are a trigger food for me. I also only eat low-carb vegetables and only if they are relatively high in fibre. So, I eat broccoli and spinach, for example, but stay away from daikon and zucchini because while they are very low in calories, they are also very low in fibre. I can just as well drink a glass of water, they do nothing for me.
I also do not use added oils, and haven't for years and years. Oil does nothing for me, except for making me fat. I do love nuts, seeds, avocadoes and cheese but I stay away from them because they are trigger foods and so high in calories that I can only eat ridiculously small amounts anyway. Why tempt fate? It is easier to simply abstain. I made that last decision in the beginning of this year and it gave me something I did not expect: food serenity. It just made my life so much easier and tolerable and easier to maintain and further reduce my weight. I still eat fat, but in the form of sardines, lupini beans and soybeans. Of course, even so-called fat-free vegetables still contain a tiny bit, as does coffee.Fit2btied2016 wrote: »I am also convinced that some food additives make me more hungry, and I definitely had bad experiences with medications wrecking my natural hunger cues.
There is one thing though. Loblaws sells a vegetable blend under the No Name brand, aptly named "mixed vegetables" that I really like. I scrapped it because it is high(ish) in calories and because it made me hungry, quite possibly due to the higher carb content as it contains lima beans and corn. I fully plan to try it again after I am on a stable and low-enough weight –for me. I hope it will work, I love that mixture.Fit2btied2016 wrote: »If I think I am hungry, I will have water first, and if I am still hungry in 10 minutes, then I know I need to eat food.
I appreciate your thoughtful replies, thank-you! We do have some things in common, and I will be reading your posts again in more detail. Briefly, yes, corn and lima beans on this end, too. Not sure why, but seems to me years ago an NP (Naturopath) told me I was allergic to them (and most beans), but with corn I think it is the sugar, and the fact that most of it is now GMO, and not what my grandparents would have farmed.
Someone suggested reading the book "Eat for Your Blood Type," years ago, but honestly I don't need anymore books and could probably find a free copy online somewhere or a cheap used one. It would be interesting if any here has read it or follows that method of eating.
Other signs point to wheat sensitivity, and "leaky gut" syndrome.
Probiotics and prebiotics also helped calm my system a bit in general, and with veggies, specifically, I make sure I rinse all potatoes after I cut them (and before I cook them), and that seems to help reduce some starch a tiny bit. (Same with rice).
I have been toying with the idea of eating only one food at a group, and alternating days for a few days, to see what happens. It will be kind of an "elimination diet," while reducing calories. So one day I would eat only fruits until full (and low carb ones), next day all the veggies I want, next day only rice, next day only lean meats.
I really need to figure out what combinations of food I need to avoid, or what drops the water weight (read bloat!).
It's like being my own lab rat, ha, ha.
Anyway, little by little. I hear you about the hunger scenario also. Part of it goes along with fasting/abstaining from meat (eg. Lent, etc.) here, but it's also good for your willpower as you have pointed out.
In some ways my mind is a lot quicker and sharper with hunger, as opposed to that feeling of being lazy and needing a tap after a huge turkey dinner or something where all the L-Tryptophan foods just lull a person to sleep, so to speak.
Your weight loss is very impressive, and it was nice to read about your progress! Thanks for sharing, and keep on truckin'!
Re the elimination diet - I actually highly recommend the Whole30 if you're interested in assessing what different foods do to your body. I did it as a last resort to try and solve what was suspected to be chronic vestibular migraines, and found soooo many other interesting things about my reactions to particular foods. There's multiple books about it, but to be honest - all the information you need to do it is on the Whole30 website. In a nutshell it's 30 days of no grains, no legumes, no sugars (save for in fruit), no dairy, no alcohol and avoiding some preservatives and additives (ie carneegan, sulfites etc), then you do a reintroduction where you add each group on its own back for 1 day and then go 2 back on the Whole30 and assess what each type of food does to you. Very, very educational.3 -
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Sorry, something is wrong with the Internet connection. I seem to have mixed up two different comments as a result. I apologise for that.Fit2btied2016 wrote: »Not sure why, but seems to me years ago an NP (Naturopath) told me I was allergic to them (and most beans), but with corn I think it is the sugar, and the fact that most of it is now GMO, and not what my grandparents would have farmed.
You may also want to check out "Britt Hermes", an American ex-naturopath. I just checked her website, she seems to be more or less silent right now but that may be because is a real doctor by now. I remember that she was actively studying to become one some years ago.
Here is an interview with her on the CBC:
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/whitecoat/naturopathy-mainstream-medicine-what-s-the-harm-1.3754973/ex-nd-britt-hermes-on-why-she-quit-naturopathy-1.3754990
Yet another interesting source is Edzard Ernst, the world's first university professor on alternative medicine. He is retired now, but still very active: https://edzardernst.com/Fit2btied2016 wrote: »Someone suggested reading the book "Eat for Your Blood Type," years ago, but honestly I don't need anymore books and could probably find a free copy online somewhere or a cheap used one. It would be interesting if any here has read it or follows that method of eating.
This is –and this is personal opinion, not proven fact– probably one of the reasons that some diets don't seem to work: they are not based on anything that actually does anything for weight loss.Fit2btied2016 wrote: »Other signs point to wheat sensitivity, and "leaky gut" syndrome.
I have no specific comments to make on probiotics and prebiotics, except that there is precious little evidence for the lofty claims. Most of the effects we think these things have are either placebo effects or post hoc ergo propter hoc (after this, therefore because of this) conclusions. It is an easy mistake to make and, to make it even more dangerous, sometimes the conclusion is right. My own most important lesson in this is my absolute conviction that metformin helped me lose weight... which turned out to be utter nonsense.Fit2btied2016 wrote: »I make sure I rinse all potatoes after I cut them (and before I cook them), and that seems to help reduce some starch a tiny bit. (Same with rice).Fit2btied2016 wrote: »I have been toying with the idea of eating only one food at a group, and alternating days for a few days, to see what happens. It will be kind of an "elimination diet," while reducing calories. So one day I would eat only fruits until full (and low carb ones), next day all the veggies I want, next day only rice, next day only lean meats.
Anecdotally, I tried a fruitarian diet myself around 35 years ago. I really loved it tremendously, but I had to stop it, mainly because I gained weight like there was no tomorrow because I was ravenously hungry all the time, and I would simply not have been able to limit portions. It was also very expensive, despite the fact that I was able to buy at a wholesale market because I bought so much. I should add that a fruitarian diet is not a good idea at all from a health perspective, but I did not consider that at the time, I didn't know then what I know now.Fit2btied2016 wrote: »I really need to figure out what combinations of food I need to avoid, or what drops the water weight (read bloat!).
It's like being my own lab rat, ha, ha.Fit2btied2016 wrote: »Anyway, little by little. I hear you about the hunger scenario also. Part of it goes along with fasting/abstaining from meat (eg. Lent, etc.) here, but it's also good for your willpower as you have pointed out.
In some ways my mind is a lot quicker and sharper with hunger, as opposed to that feeling of being lazy and needing a tap after a huge turkey dinner or something where all the L-Tryptophan foods just lull a person to sleep, so to speak.Fit2btied2016 wrote: »Your weight loss is very impressive, and it was nice to read about your progress! Thanks for sharing, and keep on truckin'!
Weight loss is a struggle, and contrary to what many people hope, the struggle is usually life-long. Let's not forget that eating normally turned out to be overeating in reality, so "going back to normal" is not an option. Many people claim that diets don't work, but I submit that many of them work just fine, it is our behaviour after weight loss that makes them seemingly fail, because we refuse to accept reality, but clearly, it is possible for all of us.
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This has been said before, and i think I may have even said it myself before. But your goal (whether it's to drop x number of pounds or drop x number of pants sizes) is not the end. You have to make lifestyle changes that last forever. All the things we do to get us to where we want to be are things we have to do continuously or we won't have long-term success. Be prepared to be on that journey for the rest of your life. Honestly, it becomes easy after doing it for a while. Like Nike says, "Just Do It."10
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Also, it's okay if you are not rigid with your plan. You should be sure to follow it for the most part, but if you want a cookie, have one. Don't eat five, and I recommend not eating the light, low-fat cookie. Eat the real thing. For me, if I eat a light version, I'm not as satisfied and I crave more. If I eat the regular cookie, I'm fulfilled and only need one.6
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Good luck0
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willboywonder wrote: »This has been said before, and i think I may have even said it myself before. But your goal (whether it's to drop x number of pounds or drop x number of pants sizes) is not the end. You have to make lifestyle changes that last forever. All the things we do to get us to where we want to be are things we have to do continuously or we won't have long-term success. Be prepared to be on that journey for the rest of your life. Honestly, it becomes easy after doing it for a while. Like Nike says, "Just Do It."
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Indeed. Rigidity is great if you love it, but it is not really required. In my case, I am rigid at home, but don't make a fuss when I go out. I just minimise my portions and suck it up. If any weight was gained, it won't be much and I will be back to where I was in a few days anyway.
I do not eat cookies and whatever at home. As some who live alone, that is deadly. If it is in my home, it will end up in my mouth. Dietitians say that you have to learn to throw things away. Sure. I call that food waste, we have far too much of that and it is bad for the environment and the climate. I simply abstain, and since I do that, my life has (quite unexpectedly for me) become a lot easier. That may not be the case for everyone, this is more psychological than physiological, but there it is, and I take advantage of the effect.1
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